Lady Cats open district with win over Dimmitt

The Littlefield Lady Cats’ varsity volleyball team opened district play on Tuesday night on the road with a 3-0 victory over the Dimmitt Bobbies, 25-15, 25-22 and 25-23.

With the win, the Lady Cats improve to 1-0 in district play.

Senior, Geyah Garza, got the Lady Cats off to a, 7-0, lead before a break by JC Sepeda was tipped into the net by junior, Ashtyn Parker. The Bobbies couldn’t capitalize, as Alondra Velo’s serve fell short of the net, making the score, 8-1.

Sophomore, Madison McNeese, tipped a ball out of bounds, but Dimmitt was called for four hits on the following play, off of a return from Ellie Lopez, extending the lead to, 9-2. The Bobbies were able to string together a few points, as senior, Hannah Ballejo, sent a serve out of bounds and McNeese delivered a kill over the back line out of bounds, making the score, 9-4. A kill by Ashleigh Broom was tipped out of bounds by McNeese and Lopez hit a ball into the net, making the score, 9-6. A save by McNeese led to a hit out of bounds by Mariah Marmolejo to end the run and Garza followed it up with a kill to push their lead back out to, 11-6. McNeese serve up an ace off of Haylee Melendez and Sera Garcia was called for touching the net on the net play, making the score, 13-6.

The run came to an end when McNeese’s serve fell short of the net, trimming the lead to, 13-7. The Lady Cats were called for a double hit before Marium Monreal’s serve sailed out of bounds, making the score, 14-8. A hit by Jazlyn Rodriguez didn’t make it over the net on back-to-back plays and the Bobbies were called for a carry on the following play, stretching the lead out to, 17-8, as Dimmitt took a time out to talk things over.

Out of the break, a kill attempt by Parker landed out of bounds, turning the serve over to Dimmitt. The Bobbies were unable to capitalize, as Sepeda tipped a ball into the net, making the score, 18-9. Garza sent a kill out of bounds, but it did not hurt the Lady Cats, as a kill try by Rodriguez landed out of bounds for the Bobbies, making the score,19-10.

Garza tipped the net for an ace and landed another ace in front of Rodriguez on the next serve. McNeese scored a kill on the following play off of the set by Brynna Ray and on the next play, Dimmitt was called for four hits, making the score, 23-10.

Sophomore, Kaeleigh Logan, had a hit tipped at the net by Fabiola Perez, before it fell in for a kill, pushing their lead to, 24-10. The Bobbies would rally back for five points, before a hit by Shamicha Wilson was hit into the net by Velo to end the set, 25-15, putting the Lady Cats up 1-0 in the match.

Dimmitt jumped out to an, 0-2, lead in set two, before a serve by Velo landed out of bounds, turning it over to Littlefield. The Lady Cats tied the set, as junior, Emily Champion, served up an ace off of Broom, but her next serve sailed into the net, putting the Bobbies back in front, 2-3.

Dimmitt scored three consecutive points on miscues by the Lady Cats before they were called for four hits, turning the serve back over to Littlefield with the score, 3-6. A hit by McNeese was hit out of bounds by Natalie Reyes, but junior, Danielle Zapata, was called for a carry on a tip attempt on the following play, making the score, 4-7.

The teams exchanged several points before a hit from Velo sailed out of bounds and Ray served up an ace in front of Rodriguez to tie the set, 9-9. Wilson delivered a kill off of Rodriguez to give the Lady Cats their first lead of the set, 10- 9. The lead was short-lived, as a hit by senior, Samira Medina, sailed out of bounds, tying the set, 10-10.

The back-and-forth exchange continued until a return by Ray was hit into the net by Garcia, making the score, 12-11. Medina scored a kill and the serve from Champion went unreturned by Dimmitt, pushing the lead out to, 14-11.

The Bobbies took a time out and out of the break, Champion’s serve fell short of the net, turning the serve back over to Dimmitt.

Medina was blocked by Perez for a kill and miss communication by Littlefield allowed the Bobbies to tie the set, 14-14. McNeese tipped the net for a kill and a serve by Ballejo went unreturned, making the score, 16-14.

McNeese dropped in a tip for a kill and blocked Garcia on the next play for a kill, stretching their lead to, 18-14. McNeese delivered another kill past Reyes, before Champion was called for a double hit, making the score, 19-15.

Champion sailed a hit out of bounds and the Lady Cats were called for four hits on the follow ing play to make it a two-point game, before Marmolejo was called for touching the net, making the score, 20-17.

Freshman, Kyndal Edgemon, touched the net on a tip, but Monreal’s serve was short of the net, making the score, 21-18. Edgemon served up an ace off of Melendez and Garza followed it up with a tip for a kill off of the set from Zapata, extending their lead to, 23-18.

The run ended when a hit by Wilson sailed into the net and the Bobbies scored again on the next play, trimming the lead to, 23-20. Broom sent a serve short of the net, but Ray’s serve landed out of bounds, making the score, 24-21. McNeese hit a ball into the net on the next play, but Medina delivered a kill off of the block attempt by Perez and Garcia to end the set, 25-22, and putt the Lady Cats up, 2-0 in the match.

Set three was a back-and-forth game until a soft hit by Rodriguez was killed at the net by Parker, stretching their lead to, 13-9. Garza served up an ace in front of Reyes, before a kill by McNeese on the next play landed out of bounds, making the score, 14-10.

Velo served up an ace off of Champion, but Perez was blocked at the net by McNeese for a kill, making the score, 15-11. Champion followed it up with an ace off of Broom, before her next serve fell short of the net, trimming the lead to, 16-12.

McNeese was called for a double hit, but Lopez answered with a kill that was tipped at the net by Perez, before it hit the court for a Littlefield point. McNeese misfired on back-to-back kill attempts and Garza sent a hit into the net, cutting their lead to, one point, 17-16.

McNeese was able to deliver a kill off of the block attempt by Broom and Marmolejo, but Dimmitt answered with a kill by Marmolejo that landed in front of Champion, making the score, 18-17.

Sepeda hit a ball over the back line out of bounds, but Broom de livered a kill for the Bobbies to make the score, 19-18. Broom’s following serve fell short of the net and Ray followed it up with an ace off of Melendez, pushing their lead to, 21-18.

Wilson delivered a kill for the Lady Cats and Ray served up another ace, before Sepeda tipped the net for a kill on the next play to give the Bobbies some hope with the score, 23-18.

The Bobbies fought back to make the score, 24-23, but a serve short of the net by Velo ended the set, 25-23, and the match, 3-0.

The Lady Cats hosted Denver City on Saturday. Results were not available at press time. They will continue their season on Tuesday with a home match against Lamesa. First set is scheduled for 6 p.m.