In a rough final week, McCurdy lost two of three volleyball matches, including a tough, 3-0 sweep Friday at the hands of host Questa, which dropped the Lady Bobcats from a possibly high state tournament seed to a No. 9 slot and a rematch Thursday at 10 a.m. against the District 5-2A rival Wildcats at Rio Rancho High School.
McCurdy (17-6) appeared to have the district in hand heading into the final week with a two game lead before losing 3-2 to Mesa Vista on Nov. 3, a result that still did not mean a playoff berth for the Lady Trojans (13-10) despite ending the season on a four-match winning streak.
“Of all weeks, we had three matches,” Lady Bobcats coach Maxine Martinez said. “They were trying to fit in running in the early mornings and get to games in the evenings. It was quite the week for them.”
Many of the McCurdy volleyball players also run cross country, which finished up its season Saturday with the state meet.
That impending meet just may have played a role in how the team played to close out the regular season, she said.
“We had a lot going on and they’ve been juggling cross country and volleyball,” Martinez said. “They had to play Friday and get up early to go to the state meet so it’s been a real busy week. We were trying to get them to focus, but I know for them, it must have been hard to keep it out of their minds. I’m sure as much as we wanted them to, it’s hard to keep it completely out and it (the state meet) was probably a little bit of a distraction.”
Still, McCurdy is back in the volleyball playoffs for the second consecutive season and facing a known foe. The Lady Bobcats went 2-2 in last year’s tournament so that familiarity should be beneficial this time around.
“The experience and how the level of play can be, some of them had that experience in volleyball so hopefully that will help,” the coach said. “We’ve got some young girls that have had to step in and fill some roles and it will be new for them.”
The players are looking forward to being in it as veterans rather than the newcomers they were last season.
“I think we’re excited,” outside hitter Marisol Serna, who had 169 kills on the season, said. “I think all of us are really excited because last year was our first year going to state. It was really fun and exciting, even though we did do our best, but it was still just such a fun experience.”
There weren’t really jitters, just more anticipation last year, said outside hitter Isabella Archuleta, who led the team with 228 kills.
“It was our first time making it so, yeah, I guess the experience was really nice,” she said. “But the pressure that’s put on you, I guess you get to feel that. For the first time feeling it. I think we will be better prepared.”
Questa is a very similar team to McCurdy, Martinez noted, in that neither has much size, both hustle like crazy and play defense for days.
And the numbers prove that as five different Bobcats players had at least 170 digs, led by Archuleta with 342, with Serna adding 289, Kaylee Martinez 288, Joslynn Silva 228 and Gabriela Velasquez 170.
“They’re a pretty good team, but they got us in three this last time,” Maxine Martinez said of the Lady Wildcats. “We’re going to have to get in there and play a little bit tougher. I like our chances.”
At this point of the season, however, it’s a matter of putting forth he best effort possible.
“I want them to go out there and play good volleyball,” Martinez said. “Try not to worry about the outcomes and I just, honestly, like them to play and execute what we’ve asked of them. And just have fun.”