Lady Cats move into semifinals

CMI staff

ROSWELL — The Clovis High volleyball team had a solid day on Friday in the Zia Classic, capped by a five-set win over Belen in the quarterfinals.

The Lady Wildcats swept all six games in pool play, then went on to a 25-22, 21-25, 25-18, 21-25, 15-7 win over Belen in the first round of bracket play. Clovis (3-3) takes on Roswell High in a 9 a.m. semifinal today, with the third-place match set for 3 p.m. and the championship at 5 p.m.

Earlier, the Lady Cats posted two-game sweeps over Lovington 21-12, 21-16; Valencia 21-5, 21-11, and Tularosa 24-22, 21-11.

Senior Kyleigh Guthals posted a double-double in the win over Belen, notching 10 kills and 11 digs. Senior Andrea Aguilar collected 22 digs, while setters Dakota Grummer and Teddy Draper had 20 and 19 assists, respectively.

“Belen was a little better than I remembered them from the UNM team camp (over the summer),” Lady Cats coach Gabe Apodaca said. “It seemed every game, one team would just get a lead; it was never really back and forth. But we got the momentum going in Game 5.”

Apodaca said 6-foot-2 senior middle blocker Victoria Spragg helped keep the Lady Eagles (2-2) in the match, playing effectively from the front row or the back line. He said she intends to sign for volleyball with the University of New Mexico.

“She was a force for Belen,” he said. “She played all the way around for them, and had some kills from the back row.”

It was the third consecutive five-setter for the Lady Cats, including a loss on Tuesday at home to Portales.