Volleyball: Monahans sweeps into Class 3A championship match

SAN MARCOS For Monahans junior setter Erin Fisher, her stomach has always been the best gauge of just how big a match is.

Whether it’s a playoff match or the final of a tournament, Fisher has come to expect some jitters.

But something was different about the Lady Loboes’ 25-18, 25-20, 25-10 Class 3A state semifinal victory against Caldwell before 1,174 spectators at Strahan Coliseum.

There was no anxiety.

“This game, I think we all were just ready to play,” Fisher said. “We didn’t have any nerves at all.”

Behind balanced and efficient attacking, tough serving and strong net play, Monahans advanced to state final for the 14th time in school history.

The Lady Loboes, making their 15th appearance at the state tournament, will play defending state champion Lucas Lovejoy — which outlasted Wimberley in five games in Friday’s other semifinals — at 1 p.m. today in the final.

“It’s a great feeling, knowing that all the work we’ve put in, it’s actually has paid off this time,” said Fisher, who had 30 assists and spearheaded an attack that had a .350 hitting percentage. “We’re ready to play (Saturday).”

Monahans (41-5) was definitely ready to play on Friday.

The Lady Loboes used a 7-1 run to overcome a 12-11 deficit in Game 1, taking an 18-13 advantage.

They would never trail again.

“I felt like we were pretty much in control,” said Monahans senior Shelbi Cornelius, who had eight kills, two aces and a .368 hitting percentage. “We had some shaky moments, but we always played together.”

Caldwell (31-13) couldn’t battle through its rough patches.

The Hornets had just 18 kills in 71 swings, committing 14 hitting errors for a .056 hitting clip.

“We just didn’t click,” Caldwell senior Melissa Cumby said. “It just got out of hand. Usually, we can recover, but today we couldn’t.”

Monahans’ balanced attacking and serving had a lot to do with it.

The Lady Loboes had four players with at least seven kills, led by Amy Rose’s 14. Kristi Holly had 12, and Kali Lewis contributed seven.

And while Monahans had just seven aces, its serving was so effective that Caldwell spent most of the match scrambling just to get the ball over the net.

“We knew regardless of what was on the other side (of the court), we still controlled the ball once it crossed that plane,” Monahans coach Patty Dominguez said. “We knew we needed to be aggressive about what we were doing, and go after it.”

That aggressiveness eventually wore down Caldwell, which also lost to Monahans in the 2003 state semifinals.

“I would have preferred our real team showed up,” Caldwell coach Jane Anne Giese said. “(The Lady Loboes) are good, but that wasn’t our team. We were off all day.”

>> UIL State Volleyball Championships

Thursday-Saturday

At Texas State’s Strahan Coliseum

San Marcos

THURSDAY

Class 2A Semifinals

Poth def. White Oak 25-22, 25-23, 25-18.

Aubrey def. Peaster 15-25, 25-23, 25-18, 28-26.

Class 4A Semifinals

Canyon Randall def. Seguin 22-25, 25-17, 25-23, 25-17.

Brenham def. Richardson Pearce 25-21, 25-22, 27-25.

———

FRIDAY

Class 1A Semifinals

Louise def. Normangee 25-12, 23-25, 25-18, 25-21.

Bronte def. Lindsay 25-11, 25-22, 22-25, 25-13.

Class 3A Semifinals

Monahans def. Caldwell 25-18, 25-20, 25-10.

Lucas Lovejoy def. Wimberley 23-25, 25-21, 25-15, 22-25, 15-5.

Class 5A Semifinals

Amarillo High def. Georgetown 25-22, 25-15, 18-25, 25-13.

Austin Westlake def. Katy Cinco Ranch 25-18, 25-23, 25-27, 26-24.

———

SATURDAY

Championship Matches

9 a.m. — Class 1A: Louise (40-4) vs. Bronte (40-5).

11 a.m. — Class 2A: Poth (37-10) vs. Aubrey (37-9).

1 p.m. — Class 3A: Monahans (41-5) vs. Lucas Lovejoy (42-7).

3 p.m. — Class 4A: Canyon Randall (41-1) vs. Brenham (41-6).

5 p.m. — Class 5A: Amarillo High (47-3) vs. Austin Westlake (39-6).

>> CLASS 5A

Amarillo High def. Georgetown

25-22, 25-15, 18-25, 25-13 

At Strahan Coliseum, San Marcos

Class 5A Semifinal

Kills — Georgetown: Shelbi Goode 12, Lauren Loerch 10, Nicole Fruge 9, Emily Rutherford 6, Haley Rhoads 3, Jessica Cuba 1. Amarillo High: Sheridan Burgess 12, Madelyn Robinett 11, Micah Nolan 9, Michelle Russell 8, Neely Borger 5, Danielle Barker 3, Caitlin Wallace 3, Emily Klein 1.

Blocks — Georgetown: Lauren Loerch .5, Shelbi Goode .5, Hannah Salyer .5. Amarillo High: Michelle Russell 2.5, Neely Borger 2.5, Caitlin Wallace 1, Sheridan Burgess .5, Madelyn Robinett .5.

Assists — Georgetown: Amanda Rister 22, Haley Rhoads 9, Brittany Steele 3, Lauren Loerch 2, Sam Heller 1, Nicole Fruge 1, Jennie Loerch 1. Amarillo High: Danielle Barker 20, Josalynn Wise 20, Micah Nolan 4, Eden Williams 3, Sheridan Burgess 2, Sarah Erhart 1.

Digs — Georgetown: Brittany Steele 18, Lauren Loerch 7, Amanda Rister 7, Nicole Fruge 6, Emily Rutherford 4, Shelbi Goode 4, Haley Rhoads 2, Sam Heller 1. Amarillo High: Eden Williams 20, Micah Nolan 8, Madelyn Robinett 8, Caitlin Wallace 4, Danielle Barker 3, Emily Klein 3, Josalynn Wise 2, Michelle Russell 2, Neely Borger 1, Sheridan Burgess 1.

Aces — Georgetown: Lauren Loerch 1. Amarillo High: Micah Nolan 3, Eden Williams 3, Josalynn Wise 1.

>> Monahans def. Caldwell

25-18, 25-20, 25-10 

At Strahan Coliseum, San Marcos

Class 3A Semifinal

Kills — Caldwell: Sondra Flippin 6, LeeAnn Simpson 4, Melissa Cumby 4, Blair Brinkman 2, Allison Alford 1, Vantazia Jackson 1. Monahans: Amy Rose 14, Kristi Holly 12, Shelbi Cornelius 8, Kali Lewis 7, Kati Holly 4, Erin Fisher 2.

Blocks — Caldwell: Sondra Flippin 1.5, Allison Alford .5. Monahans: Kristi Holly 2.5, Kati Holly 1, Amy Rose .5.

Assists — Caldwell: Allison Alford 11, Mariah Landolt 2, Blair Brinkman 1, Melissa Cumby 1, LeeAnn Simpson 1. Monahans: Erin Fisher 30, Kristi Holly 3, Shelbi Najar 2, Amy Rose 1, Kati Holly 1, Michelle Azuaje 1.

Digs — Caldwell: Ashlee Hollis 11, Callee Norman 7, Allison Alford 6, Melissa Cumby 4, Taylor Noack 4, Vantazia Jackson 2, Sondra Flippin 2, LeeAnn Simpson 1. Monahans: Shelbi Najar 11, Erin Fisher 6, Dezi Johnson 3, Amy Rose 2, Shelbi Cornelius 2, Kati Holly 2, Feleena Graves 2, Michelle Azuaje 2, Kristi Holly 1.

Aces — Caldwell: Callee Norman 2, Ashlee Hollis 2, Mariah Landolt 2, Taylor Noack 1, Natalie Schielack 1, Allison Alford 1. Monahans: Shelbi Cornelius 2, Shelbi Najar 2, Amy Rose 1, Erin Fisher 1, Dezi Johnson 1.

>> Lucas Lovejoy def. Wimberley

23-25, 25-21, 25-15, 22-25, 15-5 

At Strahan Coliseum, San Marcos

Class 3A Semifinal

Kills — Wimberley: Laura Blab 15, Ashley Lyles 10, Lea Watson 6, Britney Schindler 4, Audi Keith 1. Lovejoy: Natalie Puckett 20, Andi Malloy 18, Lauren McDaniel 14, Brennan Roehrig 4, Whitney Stevens 3.

Blocks — Wimberley: Lea Watson 1.5, Ashley Lyles 1, Shauna Miller 1, Audi Keith .5, Britney Schindler .5, Laura Blab .5. Lovejoy: Whitney Stevens 4, Natalie Puckett 2, Andi Malloy 1.5, Lauren McDaniel 1, Brennan Roehrig .5.

Assists — Wimberley: Shauna Miller 27, Audi Keith 2, Ashley Lyles 2, Sydney Jackson 2, Britney Schindler 1, Laura Blab 1. Lovejoy: Andie Malloy 22, Tyler Bradsher 19, Brennan Roehrig 4, Courtney Ray 3, Lauren McDaniel 2, Kate Turner 1, Addason Lamb 1.

Digs — Wimberley: Ashley Lyles 22, Sydney Jackson 20, Audi Keith 8, Shauna Miller 4, Britney Schindler 3, Laura Blab 3, Brenna Lyles 3, Molly Maniscalo 1, Lea Watson 1. Lovejoy: Natalie Puckett 22, Lauren McDaniel 16, Addason Lamb 15, Kate Turner 8, Tyler Bradsher 7, Andie Malloy 6, Mallorie Puckett 3, Courtney Ray 2, Brennan Roehrig 2, Whitney Stevens 1.

Aces — Wimberley: Audi Keith 4, Erin Mitchell 1, Laura Blab 1. Lovejoy: Andie Malloy 5, Lauren McDaniel 2, Kate Turner 2, Tyler Bradhser 1, Addason Lamb 1, Brennan Roehrig 1, Natalie Puckett 1.