BROWNSVILLE — Brownsville Rivera Raiders senior Emily Morales held back tears as she celebrated the match-winning kill in the BISD tournament championship.
Morales leaped high from her outside hitter position, delivering the kill down the line to give the Raiders the BISD title for the second year running.
“As soon as I went up, as some of the teams may know, we lost a coach at the end of the season,” Morales said. “Our travel team coach, Lester Shears, he passed away right before a tournament that he had promised us he would go to. As soon as I went up to hit that ball, I thought ‘Lester’ and gave it all I got.”
The offense at times flowed through Morales. During some rallies, Morales was set up multiple times and she delivered a stinging kill or a precise tip, finding holes in the Brownsville Veterans defense en route to a 25-22, 23-25, 15-13 victory.
“I felt like I was flying,” she said. “I felt like an eagle. I felt good, I was getting up there. I was just thinking, time the ball, make contact and hit my spots.”
Rivera had lost twice to the Chargers this season without picking up a set.
“I am so proud of them,” Raiders head coach Mary Elizabeth Avelar-Guerra said. “We played them the last time, and we did not even show up to the game. I was afraid they were going to do the same thing.”
The Chargers took the second set 25-23, but Rivera came back after being down 17-8 to make the set close. Outside hitter Montserrat De Los Santos won the set with a well-struck hit to send the match into a third and decisive set.
A tip from Chargers middle blocker Tamar Lane gave her team a 10-5 lead in the third set. Raiders sophomore Melanni Garza responded with back-to-back kills.
With the third set tied at 13, two big blocks by Daiany Uresti gave her team the point and the opportunity for the Raiders to set up Morales one more time.
“They really dug deep and pulled it out, I am really proud of them,” Avelar-Guerra said. “It was tough, Veterans is a great team, I was trying to be calm. I needed to accept the loss if it happens, as long as they played hard.”
The Raiders have another month before they start play in District 32-6A. The Chargers open play in District 32-5A on Tuesday at Harlingen South.
