Demonettes sweep Albuquerque Manzano
Santa Fe High was looking for some variety in its offense Tuesday.
Ysabella Trujillo supplied it, and then some, as the Demonettes rolled to a 25-15, 25-20, 25-12 sweep of Albuquerque Manzano in a District 2-6A match in Albuquerque.
It has been the “Salome Romp and Adonica-Baca Martinez Show” at the net for most of the season, so Demonettes head coach Sam Estrada hoped to see some different names pop up in the hitting department.
Little did he expect Trujillo to be one of those contributors.
The senior setter, who dished out 27 assists, had four kills, which tied Viviana Ortega for third on the hitting ladder. Romp had a team-best 19 kills, and Baca-Martinez added six. Rachel Jarzemba had three kills and a pair of blocks.
“That was the key [Tuesday],” Estrada said. “We could go to different people. Viviana is starting to hit the ball a little bit harder, and that was what we’ve been trying to get from her this year. If we can keep that going, it will take us places.”
Santa Fe High (9-10 overall, 3-6 in 2-6A) ends the regular season at Albuquerque Eldorado on Saturday, and it needs a win to secure fourth place in the district and a home match in next week’s 2-6A tournament.
Estrada said the Demonettes have shown they can play well against the state’s No. 1 team in 6A in Albuquerque La Cueva and No. 3 Sandia, so he believes his team can give the Lady Eagles a challenge.
“I think we have a good chance,” Estrada said. “I think we have what it takes to pull out a good match here in the end.”
SANTA FE INDIAN SCHOOL 3, BERNALILLO 0
The Lady Braves improved their serve-receive, but could use a little more work on their serving.
It’s an area SFIS head coach Brain Gurule identified as a weakness after a 25-18, 25-11, 25-12 sweep of Bernalillo in a 5-4A match in Joseph Kloeppel Gymnasium.
Even though Teya Ruben had eight aces, Marlena Yazzie added four and Danielle Jackson three, Gurule felt the Lady Braves (12-6, 4-2) need to value that part of their game more.
“We’re still making too many mistakes in our service game,” Gurule said. “Still, it was a complete effort [Tuesday], one of our better matches.”
Jackson had 11 kills to lead all Lady Braves hitter, while Sierra Shoals added eight and the trio of Ruben, Leanna Lewis and Camilla Lewis each had five.
DESERT ACADEMY 3, PECOS 2
The Lady Wildcats clinched second place in 3-3A the hard way, needing to go the distance for the second time against the Lady Panthers.
Desert Academy (7-9, 3-1) prevailed, 25-20, 13-25, 25-20, 23-25, 15-8, in Louis G. Sanchez Memorial Gymnasium. The key to downing Pecos again came down to hitters Natalie Nathanson and Michaela Glinsky. The pair combined for 42 kills and five blocks as the Lady Panthers had no answer for it.
“They are the two best hitters in our district,” Desert Academy head coach Natalie Passalacqua said. “If we can pass it well enough, it’s pretty much a kill.”
Hailey Scarborough led Desert Academy with 35 assists.
Desert Academy still has hopes of winning the district title, provided it sweeps Raton on the road on Thursday.
SANTA FE WALDORF 3, ABQ. EVANGEL CHRISTIAN 0
The Lady Wolves have learned how to live without setter Hannah Laga-Abrams for the meantime, as they swept the Lady Eagles 25-22, 25-12, 25-21 in a 1-1A match in Albuquerque.
Junior Faith Lopez handled the position, and recorded 20 assists. It freed up Rose Moon, who had been setter for the past few matches, to return to her outside hitter post and she led Waldorf (16-2, 10-0) with 15 kills. Nicoya Dant and Lopez each had three kills, while Brianna Poole had eight digs and Rosa Contreras added seven.