Although the Odessa High volleyball team stayed competitive in its match against Abilene High Tuesday, the Lady Bronchos couldn’t avoid dropping their fifth straight District 2-6A contest.
Abilene High came away with a 16-25, 25-10, 25-19, 25-23 victory over the Lady Bronchos at the OHS Fieldhouse.
“The good thing is, we still have time and we have the opportunity,” Odessa High head coach Victoria Smith said. “If we make adjustments, then the 0-5 isn’t going to hurt us.
“We still have a whole second round that we can turn things around, we can learn from this first round and pick it up.”
The Lady Bronchos (6-13 overall, 0-5 district) got off to a strong start, led by their middle blockers holding firm along the net.
Although Abilene High got some kills from 6-foot-2 middle blocker Jadyn Hernandez, Odessa High’s Paige Byford and Clarissa Rodriguez were able to stop any scoring runs by recording blocks at the right time.
Things started well for the Lady Bronchos when they won the first set but the visitors took control of the match after that.
The Lady Eagles (17-15, 2-3) jumped out to a quick 4-0 lead to start the second set and they never let Odessa High get back in it, holding the advantage throughout the set and coming away with a 25-10 win.
The third set proved to be a much closer affair, although Odessa High committed five straight errors to give the Lady Eagles a quick 5-0 lead to open it up.
The Lady Bronchos were able to make things interesting by going on a 5-0 scoring run late in the third set, but Abilene High used kills from Ryleigh Lawson to secure it by a 25-19 score.
Momentum went back and forth in the fourth and final set, as the Lady Bronchos and Lady Eagles traded a lead late.
Odessa High was up 22-19 before Abilene High won six of the next seven points to win the set and clinch its second straight district win.
“I think they’re scrappy and they have some wild arms,” Abilene High head coach Caroline Cleveland said of the Lady Bronchos. “That’s hard to defend, sometimes you don’t know where they’re swinging.
“It’s different, it’s hard and I like seeing stuff like that.”
Rodriguez led Odessa High with 13 kills, while Zoelley Herrera paced the Lady Bronchos with 14 assists.
Gentri Anderson recorded 16 kills to lead Abilene High, followed closely by Hernandez with 15.
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Abilene High def. Odessa High
16-25, 25-10, 25-19, 25-23
Tuesday at OHS Fieldhouse
Kills — Abilene High: Gentri Anderson 16, Jadyn Hernandez 15, Shea Bruntmyer 5, Isa Escobedo 3, Ryleigh Lawson 3, Jaclyn Allelo 1, Alexis Dolton 1. Odessa High: Clarissa Rodriguez 13, Bryanna Ordaz 9, Paige Byford 7, Marissa Rodriguez 3, Clarissa DeLeon 2, Isabela Ordaz 1.
Blocks — Abilene High: Hernandez 8, Anderson 1, Escobedo 1, Lawson 1, Bruntmyer 1. Odessa High: Byford 2, Aubrey Villa 1, Clarissa Rodriguez 1, Marissa Rodriguez 1.
Assists — Abilene High: Allelo 25, Bruntmyer 15, Maddie Perez 1, Escobedo 1, Dolton 1. Odessa High: Zoelley Herrera 18, DeLeon 15, Bryanna Ordaz 3, Isabela Ordaz 2, Byford 1, Victoria Rodriguez 1.
Digs — Abilene High: Perez 11, Anderson 11, Gabby Stokes 6, Lawson 3, Bruntmyer 3, Allelo 2, Hernandez 1, Escobedo 1. Odessa High: Isabela Ordaz 13, Bryanna Ordaz 10, Victoria Rodriguez 8, Villa 6, Herrera 5, DeLeon 5, Carime Gonzales 2, Nadia Hernandez 1, Marissa Rodriguez 1.
Aces — Abilene High: Allelo 4, Anderson 2. Odessa High: Bryanna Ordaz 2, DeLeon 1.
Records
Abilene High 17-15, 2-3; Odessa High 6-13, 0-5.
Sub-Varsity
JV: Abilene High def. Odessa High, 25-22, 25-18.
