The Taos volleyball team made the Española Valley Sundevils work hard for what they thought would be an easy victory when the two met Oct. 21 in Taos.
The Sundevils came to the game with a two-match District 2AAAA winning streak behind them, and had already beaten the Taos Tigers twice this season, first at the Tournament of Champions, and again Oct. 3 in Española.
The Sundevils started this third match against Taos with momentum, scoring their first two points in about as many minutes of play and easily winning the first game 25-14.
But the Tigers later caught up to the Sundevils toward the end of the second game. Senior outside hitter Renee Roybal clinched the game, 28-26, for the Sundevils with a game-winning kill.
“I think it was a lack of effort,” Roybal said, explaining the suspenseful second set. “We played lazy tonight. I think we got it in our heads that we beat them before, so we’re going to beat them again.”
Española coach Damon Salazar chalked it up to having rotated in some of his more inexperienced players during the second game.
“I saw we were doing well, so I subbed about five girls to give them some experience,” Salazar said. “They’re younger, and they’re not as used to talking to each other.”
Either way, coaches and players both said the Sundevils are “pumped” for their next match Wednesday (10/28) at home against District rival Los Alamos.
Los Alamos, which is undefeated in district play and ranked third among Class AAAA teams in the state, was responsible for one of the Sundevils’ two district defeats so far this season.
“We know we’re going to have to compete,” Assistant Coach David Maestas said. “We will be ready, though.”