Lady Coyotes topple PHS in four sets

ROSWELL – Roswell High rallied from a one-set deficit on Monday night for a 19-25, 25-21, 25-23, 25-16 win over Portales High.

PHS coach Bailey Greenwalt was disappointed her team couldn’t build off its quick start. The Lady Coyotes (10-1) finally took control with a dominant fourth set.

“We played some really good volleyball at times, but we had too many errors,” she said. “It was a good, dominant first set. We led in the second set (16-10), and the third set was back and forth.”

Junior middle hitter Skyler Massey posted 15 kills, three blocks, 11 digs and two aces for Portales (5-3), while senior setter Myleigh Banda also collected a double-double a team-high 22 digs and 37 assists to go with six kills.

Junior Molly Ainsworth collected 10 kills and a team-high four blocks, senior Angel Ornelas notched 21 digs, senior Dawci Cordova tallied 10 digs and five aces and senior Tya Rippee added 11 digs.

The Class 5A Lady Coyotes, who beat PHS in four sets at the Ram Athletic Center on Sept. 10, won their 10th in a row since a season-opening loss to Los Lunas.

“They’re a great team,” Greenwalt said. “They’ve beaten a lot of great people. I think they could actually get to state and beat some people.”

The Lady Rams faced a quick turnaround, traveling to Friona on Tuesday to take on Vega (23-4) and the host Squaws (21-6). This weekend, they host the eight-team Peyton Chavez Invitational at the RAC.

Lady Rams finish third – At Albuquerque, the PHS girls soccer team blanked Socorro 3-0 on Saturday in the third-place match of Sandia Prep’s Sundevil Invitational.

Junior Maria Lujan scored a goal in each half for the Lady Rams (5-5), the latter assisted by sophomore Addison Mayberry. Meantime, Mayberry headed in a corner kick from Lujan late in the opening stanza.

Junior Lissette Gomez and freshman Amaya Lujan combined for five saves in the shutout effort.

The Lady Rams dropped a 3-2 semifinal decision to St. Michael’s (5-3) on Friday.

Sophomore midfielder/defender Clare Velazquez had a pair of goals for the Lady Horsemen (5-3), while junior forward/midfielder Sophia Miera tallied the deciding goal in the second half.

Freshman forward/midfielder Ariana Hernandez gave Portales a 1-0 lead early in the opening stanza, and Lujan’s goal put the Lady Rams back in front 2-1 early in the second half.

Gomez made 13 saves in the match for PHS.

PHS travels to Ruidoso for a 4 p.m. start on Thursday in its final match before District 4-4A play begins.

“We have districts coming up,” Lady Rams coach Laci Lozoya said. “We’re just going to focus on getting girls healthy and ready for districts.”

Meantime, in Sandia Prep’s Ben Kivitz Invitational for the boys, the Rams lost to Rio Grande 9-0 on Friday and to the host Sundevils 3-1 in Saturday’s third-place tilt.

Senior forward/midfielder Leonel Bencomo Zarate posted a hat trick in the Ravens’ victory over PHS. Five players had goals for Rio Grande (9-2).

Junior forward Ryan Williams tallied twice and junior midfielder Akasha Khalsa added a goal for Sandia Prep (4-4-2). Freshman James Corder scored to pull the Rams into a 1-1 tie at halftime.

“We start districts on Thursday (at Roswell Goddard),” Portales boys coach Dustin Harden said. “We’ve been up against some really tough teams this year, and we’re getting good experience.”