McALLEN — The McAllen Rowe Warriors claimed the last two sets Tuesday against McAllen High, downing the Bulldogs 25-18, 23-25, 16-25, 25-21, 15-7 during a District 31-5A five-set thriller at the McAllen Rowe gym.
Trailing the Bulldogs 12-10 during the fourth set, Warriors head coach Magda Canales called a timeout. The break allowed her team to regroup, going on a 10-0 run to take a commanding 20-13 lead.
After a brief surge by the Bulldogs, the Warriors put the fourth set away, outscoring McAllen High 15-8 following the timeout to force a fifth and decisive set.
During the fifth, senior Mia Mata took control, coming up with four consecutive kills early in the set to keep momentum on the Warriors’ side. Sophomore middle hitter Brianna Sanchez ended the game with a kill.
Mata and Sanchez were pivotal for the Warriors during the final two sets, combining for 11 kills and coming up with timely defensive plays to keep the set alive.
The victory moves McAllen Rowe to a one-game lead over McAllen High in the standings. The Warriors improve to 7-3 in district with the win. McAllen High drops to 6-4.
McAllen Rowe returns to action at noon Saturday, taking on Sharyland Pioneer at home. The Bulldogs will look to bounce back at 3 p.m. Saturday, hosting PSJA North.
