Lady Buffs cap off perfect regular season

MELROSE — Nobody quite foresaw what was coming.

After all, unbeaten Melrose is the two-time defending Class 1A state volleyball champion and the top-ranked team in 1A, and the Lady Buffs have reached the state finals for eight consecutive years under coach Casey Jackson, winning four titles in that time.

Still, their 25-16, 25-2, 25-11 District 6-1A dismantling of rival Logan on Saturday — in less than an hour, no less — was a surprise even to the Lady Buffs.

“It was probably the cleanest (match) we’ve played all year,” Jackson said after Melrose ended the regular campaign at 23-0 (10-0 district).

From the time senior outside hitter Isabelle Sena deposited a Logan overpass into the Lady Longhorns’ court on the first point of the contest, Melrose never trailed through two sets.

In Game 2, the Lady Buffs got on an incredible roll, a combination of devastating kills and service aces mixed in with some miscues from the rattled Lady Longhorns. Melrose needed only two service rotations to reach set point, then wrapped it up on a Logan net violation.

“We just fell apart,” Lady Longhorns coach Glynna Strand said. “There’s not a whole lot to say.”

To its credit, Logan (15-7, 8-2) kept the third set close early and trailed just 12-10 after a Melrose attack error. But another net violation returned serve to the Lady Buffs, and Sena promptly rattled off a string of 10 points that included five kills from junior outside hitter Graci Odom.

Until that point, Sena had provided most of the big hits while Odom was relatively quiet.

“Their blockers are really big,” Odom said. “It took me a minute to read the court.”

In fact, she had seven of her match-high nine kills in the late run, including the final two points. Sena added eight kills.

Jackson said the Lady Longhorns keyed on Odom early, and that helped free up Sena and middle hitters Sorrell Allen and Kambree Draper.

Sena led the team with 17 digs, while Odom had 15. Junior setter Kye Saulsberry posted 36 assists.

“Isabelle played really well,” he said. “Our middles played well, and that opened it up for our outside hitters.”

While the Lady Buffs have dropped just two sets all season, Odom said there is no conscious letup and the team strives to maintain a high level of play.

“We try to work hard no matter who we’re playing,” she said. “We played hard for our (five) seniors. We’re just continuing to work together to finish our season.”

Junior outside hitter Kaylee Williams had three kills for Logan, while sophomore middle blocker/setter Haylie Bidegain added two kills and two of the team’s three blocks.

“Our passing wasn’t good today,” Strand said. “Melrose is a good team. They can adjust to about anything.”

Lady Buffs, Lady Wolverines preparing for state — Melrose and Class 2A Texico are the lone area qualifiers to state volleyball in brackets released on Sunday by the New Mexico Activities Association.

As expected, the Lady Buffs earned the No. 1 seed in 1A and a bye in the 12-team event. Their first match will come at 4:45 p.m. on Thursday at Rio Rancho H.S. against the winner of a morning first-round tilt between ninth-seeded Santa Fe Waldorf (19-4) and No. 8 Quamado (15-8).

Logan garnered the sixth seed, and opens against No. 11 Alamo Navajo.

Texico (16-7) is seeded third in 2A at Rio Rancho Cleveland H.S. and also has a first-round bye. The Lady Wolverines face the winner of an afternoon first-round contest between No. 11 Eunice (14-7) and sixth-seeded Tularosa (16-7) at 8:15 p.m.

The Lady Wolverines were 2A runnersup in the 2020-21 spring-COVID season, losing in five sets to Cloudcroft to snap their second run of six consecutive state titles dating to 2006.

All tournaments are double-elimination through Friday’s play, then single-elimination in Saturday’s semifinals and finals. Other than the first two days in 1A and 2A, the entire event will be played at Rio Rancho Events Center.

Saturday’s championship matches are on tap for 3 p.m. in both 1A and 2A.