PHS hoping to extend postseason run in volleyball

Suffice it to say, Ruth Chavez has been used to reaching Class 3A state volleyball finals in her tenure as Portales High's head coach.

The Lady Rams have made it eight times since she took over in 2001, winning four championships and losing four. The of the runnerup finishes have come in the last three years to perennial power Pojoaque.

PNT correspondent: Joshua LuceroPortales' Kristen Wagner tries to block a tip attempt from Texico's Taylor Stevens during a Saturday afternoon scrimmage at Clovis.

Chavez believes this season can produce another deep run.

"I think we have great potential," Chavez said Saturday as her team participated in a daylong preseason scrimmage hosted by Clovis High. "We're just trying to figure out who's going to play where here.

"We've got a young team with kids playing at the varsity level for the first time."

The Lady Rams, who open on Tuesday at Class 5A Hobbs, graduated standout Macy Mitchell from last year's team, which finished 16-9. Returning players with significant experience include junior outside hitter/setter Kristen Wagner, junior middle hitter Savannah Vincent, junior setter Kacie Terry, senior defensive specialist Hannah Cissell and junior outside hitter Simone Laurenz.

"I think we have a chance to be at the top again," Chavez said. "Our potential's good, but it doesn't happen in the first month. It takes a season to get to where you need to get."

Vincent said the team should improve as the season goes, and as players adjust to their roles with Mitchell gone.

"We're going to get better the more we play together," she said. "The main thing we need to work on is communication. We have lots of young girls who are stepping up to the plate and helping us."

The Lady Rams are also expecting help from junior outside hitter-middle hitter Summer Martinez, a tranfer from Hobbs who played significant varsity time with the Lady Eagles last season.

Chavez hopes the newcomers can help offset the loss of Mitchell along the front row.

"We've got to have size up front to be a good blocking team," Chavez said. "We're looking for some of t the younger kids to help."

Vincent said she doesn't see trying to extend Portales' impressive postseason streak under Chavez as pressure.

"I don't think it's pressure," she said. "It's just a challenge to try and make it."

Playing bigger schools such as Hobbs and Clovis during the season also helps the team get ready.

"I think it's a challenge," Vincent said. "I know they're bigger schools, but we just have to stick it out and show them we can beat them."

SCHEDULE

August: 28 — at Hobbs, 6:45 p.m.; 30 — Roswell High, 6:45 p.m.

September: 6 — at Santa Fe Indian, 4 p.m.; 7-8 — at Moriarty tournament; 11 — Clovis, 6:45 p.m.; 18 — Roswell Goddard, 6:45 p.m.; 25 — at Roswell High, 6:45 p.m.

October: 2 — at Roswell Goddard, 6:45 p.m.; 5-6 — Portales tournament; 9 — at Artesia, 7 p.m.; 16 — Texico, 6:45 p.m.; 18 — at Lovington, 7 p.m.-x; 20 — Artesia, 3 p.m.; 23 — Ruidoso, 6:45 p.m.-x; 25 — at Clovis, 6:45 p.m.

November: 1 — Lovington, 6:45 p.m.-x; 3 — Ruidoso, 2 p.m.-x.

x-Denotes District 4-3A matches.