BROWNSVILLE — District 32-5A returned to action Tuesday night after a weekend off with a matchup between two of the top teams from last season.
Brownsville Pace finished second and Edcouch-Elsa was third. Both teams opened district with wins Aug. 23, but it was Pace that came out victorious Tuesday, sweeping the Yellowjackets 26-24, 25-18, 25-16.
“Edcouch is one of the top teams in our district,” Pace junior Andie Lozano-Lomeli said. “Looking at our district, we knew this was a win that we really had to work for.”
Pace had to work for it, especially facing off with Edcouch-Elsa senior Vida Ybarra, one of the best hitters in the district, if not the best. Ybarra finished the match with 27 kills.
Lozano-Lomeli gave her team the first set. The middle hitter/blocker was all alone at the net when the ball was set to her perfectly by a Yellowjackets return. The junior, without jumping, placed the ball on the ground to win the most competitive set.
“As middle blockers we have to be able to help our team out by covering and taking care of the net, so they have it easier in the back” Pace middle blocker Luz Martinez said.
Martinez and Lozano-Lomeli’s points from the middle were the difference during the second set. Martinez scored four of the final five points to win the second set 25-18. The middle players were routinely set up by senior Dyllan Lozano-Lomeli.
Pace’s Bryanna Narvaez dug well from the libero position. The back line could not cut out many Ybarra kills, but when it did it was pivotal. Ybarra moved around and would even finish off kills from the back middle.
“They did a great job, at first we were really rough,” Andie Lozano-Lomeli said. “Ybarra is a great player. I have played with her in the past. She is smart and has a great attitude. We did a really good job adjusting to her, which is not easy to do, she is a great player.”
Ybarra continued to keep her team in the third set with five kills to make it 9-7, but Pace’s middle was too much and Vikings built an 18-11 lead that it was able to see out.
