The Eastern New Mexico News - Serving Clovis, Portales and the Surrounding Communities

Staff report

RIO RANCHO — Clovis High’s volleyball team lost a three-way tiebreaker for second in pool play on Friday in the Rio Rancho Volleyball Bash, thus relegating the Lady Wildcats to the consolation bracket on Saturday.

That’s OK, coach Gabe Apodaca said. CHS swept its two matches in bracket play, thus improving to 4-6 for the season.

“It was important for us,” Apodaca said Monday. “We needed a couple of wins.”

The Lady Cats beat Farmington 25-16, 25-12, 25-23 in the consolation bracket semifinals, then topped Artesia 25-22, 26-24, 25-22 in the finals.

Senior Danni Williams collected 10 kills against Farmington while senior Shaylee Warner, who was limited to one game out of six in pool play after tweaking an ankle in practice on Thursday, added eight kills and two blocks.

“She did well in bracket play, even though she was less mobile (than usual),” Apodaca said of Warner. “She was still able to do some good things for us.”

Warner added 10 kills and two more blocks in the win over Artesia. Senior libero Rylie Lee notched 14 digs, while senior setter Dakota Grummer had a double-double with 34 assists and 10 digs.

The Lady Cats went 2-4 in pool play, losing both games to Rio Rancho Cleveland and splitting sets against both Santa Teresa and Pojoaque.

Warner gave it a go in the first game of pool competition against Santa Teresa before coming out.

“Pool play was tough,” Apodaca said. “We basically went into pool play without Shaylee. We just decided to have her sit it out and save her for bracket play.”

The Lady Cats return to action this weekend in the Peyton Chavez Invitational at Portales. Pool play and first-round bracket play are scheduled for Friday, with the final two rounds on Saturday.