Lady Cats cruise past Post, 3-0

The Littlefield Lady Cats’ varsity volleyball team cruised past the Post Lady Lopes on Tuesday, 3-0, at Wildcat Gym to close out the pre-district schedule.

With the win, the Lady Cats improve to 13-7 overall on the year.

Alex Hernandez’s serve for Post fell short of the net to open set one, and a hit by Julie Bownds on the next play, was hit out of bounds by Serenity Sanchez, putting the Lady Cats in front, 2-0.

Bri Valdez was called for being across the net on a sliding dig, but the Lady Cats answered on the next play, as Bownds delivered a kill in the back corner of the court, making the score, 3-1. Littlefield couldn’t keep the rally going, as Bownds sent a hit into the net, sparking a three-point rally for the Lady Lopes, who took the lead on a hit into the net by Amiah Elizondo, making the score, 3-4.

A hit by Post landed just out of bounds to tie the set for the Lady Cats, but it was short-lived, as a serve from Cali Saldana sailed out of bounds, making the score, 4-5. Bownds delivered a kill at the net off of a long dig by Serenity Sanchez and a kill attempt on the next play by Zemicka Foy sailed out of bounds, putting the Lady Cats back in front, 6-5.

Post scored on the next play to regain the serve, but a hit by Faith Sanchez fell short of the net, putting Littlefield back in front, 7-6. The back-and-forth match continued until Maggie McNeese delivered a kill off of Hanna Krauser to make the score 9- 8. Bownds dropped in a tip for a kill off of the block attempt by Shaylee Pope and Elizondo followed it up with a kill off of Serenity Sanchez to stretch their lead to, 11-8.

Bownds dropped a tip past Serenity Sanchez and Pope for a kill and a hit by Alex Hernandez on the following play landed out of bounds, pushing the lead to, 13-8. Post was able to end the rally, when Serenity Sanchez delivered a kill off of McNeese to trim the lead to, 13-9.

Bownds answered with a kill, but Bryndle Ray’s following serve landed out of bounds making the score, 14-10. Bownds tipped the net for a kill and Saldana’s serve went un-returned, before Bownds delivered a kill past the block attempt from Faith Sanchez, extending their lead to, 17-10.

Saldana kept it going with an ace off of Kaylie Zapert and Faith Sanchez sent a save into the net on the next play, pushing the lead to, 19-10, as Post took a time out to talk things over. Out of the break, A hit by Foy landed out of bounds and she was called for a double hit on the next play, pushing the lead to, 21-10.

Faith Sanchez and Serenity Sanchez sent back-to-back hits out of bounds, before Faith Sanchez delivered a kill off of the block attempt of Lyric Rios and Bownds to regain the serve for Post, trailing the Lady Cats, 23-11. Back-toback miscues by the Lady Lopes gave Littlefield set one, 25-11.

Myli Hernandez opened set two with an ace, before McNeese sent a hit into the net on the next play, making the score, 1- 1. Alex Hernandez sent a serve sailing out of bounds for Post and the Lady Lopes were called for four hits on the next play, pushing the lead to, 3-1. Bownds had a kill dug by Foy, but before the return hit, Pope was called for a carry, making the score, 4-1.

Ray’s next serve went un-returned by the Lady Lopes, but on the following play, Elizondo sent a kill sailing out of bounds, trimming the lead to, 5-2. Post couldn’t get anything going offensively, as Serenity Sanchez’s serve fell short of the net to make the score, 6-2. Bownds tipped the net for a kill as Pope mistimed the dig, and Saldana followed it up with an ace to push their lead to, 8-2.

Bownds kept it going with a kill off of Foy and the Lady Cats scored again on the next play to keep the rally going, extending their lead to, 10-2. Kennadi Hanlin delivered a kill off of the block attempt by Pope, making the score, 11-2, as Post took a time out to talk things over. Out of the break, Hanlin delivered a kill over Foy and Bownds sent a kill past Zapert, before Bownds delivered a kill inside the back boundary line to stretch the lead to, 14-2.

Saldana served up an ace off of Alex Hernandez and a dig by Ray was hit out of bounds by Pope, pushing the lead to, 16-2. Bownds delivered a kill off of Faith Sanchez and Saldana followed it up with back-to-back aces to make the score, 19-2. A kill by Bownds was dug by Faith Sanchez, but floated over the net and landed out of bounds, extending the lead to, 20-2.

The Lady Lopes were called for a double hit and Saldana followed it up with three consecutive aces, before sending a serve out of bounds, making the score, 24-3. Pope’s next serve landed out of bounds on the sideline, making the score, 25-3, as Littlefield took a, 2-0, lead in the match.

Littlefield opened set three on a, 10-0, scoring run before Pope delivered a kill off of a diving dig by Myli Hernandez, making the score, 10-1. Bownds regained the serve for Littlefield with a kill off of Alex Hernandez, but they were unable to capitalize, as Ray’s serve fell short of the net.

Bownds sent a kill past Serenity Sanchez, but Ray sent a tip into the net and Alex Hernandez followed it up with a kill to make the score, 12- 4, before Bownds dropped a tip past Faith Sanchez for a kill to regain the serve for Littlefield. Ray delivered a kill in the back corner of the court, but Myli Hernandez sent a kill into the net on the next play, trimming the lead to, 14-5.

Ryleigh Matus tipped the net for a kill, but Krauser’s next serve landed out of bounds, pushing the lead to, 15- 6. A kill by Myli Hernandez was tipped out of bounds by Zapert and Alex Hernandez was called for touching the net on a block try to stretch the lead to, 17- 6. McNeese touched the net on a tip and the Lady Cats were called for a double hit on the next play, cutting the lead to, 17-8.

A kill attempt by McNeese landed out of bounds on the sideline, but Alex Hernandez sent a hit

into the net, making the score, 189. The Lady Cats couldn’t capitalize, as Rios sent a hit into the net, making the score, 18-10. McNeese delivered a kill off of Pope’s block attempt and Pope sent a hit into the net on the next play, making the score, 20-10.

Bownds won a tip battle at the net with Pope and Serenity Sanchez sent a hit outside of the foul pole for Post, pushing the Littlefield lead to, 22-10. A long dig by Post fell in for a kill, but Bownds answered right back with a kill that was blocked by Pope, but the ball landed out of bounds, making the score, 23-11.

Post scored a kill and Taryn Golden mistimed a tip at the net to make the score, 23-13. A bad set by Ray was killed at the net by Pope, but Bownds answered with a kill off of Serenity Sanchez and a long dig by Zapert floated over the net, but landed out of bounds, giving Littlefield the set, 25-14, and the match, 3-0.

The Lady Cats opened district play on Saturday with a road game against Lubbock-Cooper Liberty. Results were not available at press time. They will continue district play on Tuesday with a road game against Idalou.

First set is scheduled to begin at 6 p.m.

GOING FOR THE TIP - Littlefield’s Myli Hernandez, pushes a tip across the net, looking to catch the defense off guard, during the Lady Cats’ match with Post on Tyesday at Wildcat Gym.

(Staff Photo by Derek Lopez)

ALTERING THE SHOT - Littlefield’s Julie Bownds and Taryn Golden go up for a block at the net, altering the shot of Post’s Faith Sanchez, during the Lady Cats’ match with Post on Tyesday at Wildcat Gym.

(Staff Photo by Derek Lopez)

OVER THE NET - Littlefield’s Amiah Elizondo goes up to deliver a kill, during the Lady Cats’ match with Post on Tyesday at Wildcat Gym.

(Staff Photo by Derek Lopez)