Coach: Aguirre arrival better late than never

PORTALES — Eastern New Mexico volleyball coach Sia Poyer admits senior server Alexis Aguirre was almost the one that got away. Thankfully, after a junior college stop along the way, Aguirre made her way to ENMU, and has been a focal point for the Hounds over the past three seasons.

"She came in her junior year (of high school), and I had just gotten to Eastern around that time. Some people were talking about her, and of course I went and watched her. But at that time, we already had two setters on scholarship and I just didn't have the money — I was trying to get her to walk on," Poyer said.

Aguirre instead took a scholarship to Odessa College, a junior college, where she flourished. In 2014, Aguirre set the school freshmen record for assists in a season with 647 and made all-conference.

However, Poyer kept after Aguirre, who won two state titles at Artesia High.

"I texted her over Christmas break and said, 'Here's my offer. I want you to come here, please," Poyer said. "(Not getting her right out of high school) was one of my bigger regrets. By the time I had talked to her, I already talked to a junior college setter and she had already committed and I just didn't have the money. But, it worked out."

It certainly has, as Aguirre has thrived in three years with the Hounds. In 2015, she started all 32 matches and appeared in each one of ENMU's 125 sets. Aguirre led the team with 1,102 assists.

That momentum carried into 2016, as she recorded 803 more assists in 115 sets played.

Coming into this weekend's home games — 5 p.m. Friday against Cameron and 5 p.m. Saturday against Midwestern State — she has a team-high 465 assists. She has help from fellow setter Kaitlyn Kluna (404 assists), but has also taken on more of a leadership role.

"We have eight new girls, and some people don't (initially) want to follow what we want to follow," Aguirre said. "Sometimes with freshmen it's, 'I know everything, you can't tell me everything.' It's kind of hard in a sense, but it's not that bad. They finally grow on you and they learn more stuff. It's kind of cool to see them grow, because of you."

With the Greyhounds' 6-2 alignment, Aguirre and Kluna can't have very many off-days, according to Poyer.

Poyer, in fact, believes that Aguirre is the best setter that's he's ever had. For coach, Aguirre stands out in many ways, but one in particular is something that is rare amongst setters at the Division II level.

"Defense, defense is always big. For whatever reason, at our level, they don't hit a lot of balls to right back — which I always think you need to. A lot more setters work on setting, but not defense," Poyer explained.

"Defense for sure, she's gotten a lot better at playing defense. For her, because we run a 6-2, all our defense is back row. Her being a senior, just her leadership has gotten a ton better. Just the nature of her position, she's gotta be vocal. For the most part, she's very even-keeled — which you kind of need to have that at the setter's position. Almost every second ball goes through her."