It seemed that the entire football team, and more, was at the volleyball match, cheering for every point. The Española Valley athletic director at one point remarked to coach Nicole Ortiz (formerly Romero) that just having the lower bleachers open was not enough.
“I haven’t seen a crowd like that since I was in school, and I played in 2014,” Ortiz said. “It meant a lot.”
“It got all our energy up,” said sophomore Leah Vigil. “They were really hyped.”
Española Valley, in its first match of the year, went to five sets and came away with a victory against West Las Vegas. Twice, the Lady Sundevils lost a set by a big margin. Both times, they bounced back, showing resilience that led them to a victory. One match into the season, Española Valley has already gotten halfway to their win total from a year ago.
“It makes us know that we can get ourselves out of a big hole,” said senior middle blocker Mercedes Gonzales.
Gonzales led the way with 13 kills, including the final one to finish the match. While she was a key player last season, now she is taking on the role as the main attacking option.
“It makes me feel good, and scared,” Gonzales said of being the top option. “Because if I’m having an off day, then no bueno.”
Vigil also had 21 assists, 21 digs and three aces. Hailey DeVargas also had three aces. And libero Quianna Martinez had 28 digs in the match.
The first set was tied 9-9 before West Las Vegas used an 8-1 run, and held on to win 25-15. But the Sundevils responded in a second set that was nearly point-for-point the whole way. They were tied as late as 19-19, and Española led by one before winning three straight points to win 25-21.
Española came out much stronger in the third set, going up 7-2 early, then went up 20-11. But they let the Lady Dons creak back into the set with six straight points before closing the door, 25-21. In the fourth set, though, it was West Las Vegas that came out quick to lead 7-1, and quickly ended it with a 25-13 win.
“We’re still trying to mature fully as a team,” Ortiz said. “Those were just the weaknesses in it … We were just able to adjust.”
But again, the Sundevils responded from the loss. Tied at 12-12, they took three of the next four points to win the match.
“We just got out of our heads,” Vigil said.
Though West Las Vegas was one of two teams that the Sundevils defeated last year (Belen was the other), Ortiz said that many around the state expected them to be a much improved team.
Española will look to improve on their serving, Ortiz said (the second set was particularly sloppy, with Española serving five errors, bailed out by seven from the Dons.)
The Española C team lost two close sets, 25-23, 25-22, while the junior varsity team lost 25-10, 25-13. The Sundevils have a week off before playing at home against Kirtland Central on Aug. 29.
“I’m taking away the fact that I know they are sisters, and there is connection,” Ortiz said. “Now, it’s just technical things and fundamentals. This set the tone to let me know I’m going to get to coach this year.”
Leah Vigil entered the match with a hip injury that she suffered last week. She started the match with a wrap around her side. But halfway through, it proved too uncomfortable, and she removed the wrap.
“It was just really uncomfortable, I couldn’t push the ball out,” Vigil said.
Given the way Española came back in the end, that might have worked out for the best.