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Artesia turns back Lady Cats

CLOVIS - It's a busy opening week for the Clovis High volleyball team, and the Lady Wildcats are starting it without one of their top players.

Monday night, Artesia made it tough on CHS, controlling much of match except for the second set - which the Lady Bulldogs nearly pulled out as well - in claiming a 25-18, 22-25, 25-18, 25-19 win at Rock Staubus Gym.

Senior outside hitter Kameron Kelley is out with a knee injury sustained in a scrimmage last week. Lady Wildcats coach Darrel Ray said he hopes maybe she can be back for Saturday's match at Dexter - which will be the team's fourth of the week.

Ray said his squad has lots to work on, but noted it's still early.

"The best thing about the first match is you don't have to live and die by it," he said. "We've got a lot of things we can correct that we didn't like."

Artesia's outside hitters, notably senior Kaylee Wagner and junior Nataly Leon, got key points and finished with 15 and 10 kills, respectively.

Ray said the Lady Bulldogs did a good job of changing pace on their shots.

"Artesia has a couple of good outsides and a good setter (sophomore Charity Argo)," he said. "The core of their team is very good.

"I would've thought we'd play better defense, but some of that is Artesia's kids have a good, solid team. They probably scored as many points on offspeed (shots) and tips as they did on hard swings."

Senior middle hitter Kaci Cabeldue led the Lady Cats with 11 kills, and also had two of their three service aces. Senior outside hitter Tabitha Gallegos notched six kills, two blocks, three digs and an ace.

The first game seesawed until the Lady Bulldogs, trailing 8-7, went on an 8-0 run that included five kills from Leon. Clovis never got closer than five points the rest of the set.

In Game 2, the Lady Cats quickly jumped on top 5-0 with the help of two kills from junior Mili Ratledge. Down 19-14, Artesia pulled even twice near the end before kills by Gallegos and Ratledge helped CHS close it out.

"We caught ourselves up and couldn't finish it," Artesia coach Alan Williams said. "I was glad we were able to get back into that game,"

Clovis was able to keep the third and fourth sets close for a while before the Lady Bulldogs pulled away late.

Both teams were trying to get into a flow after laying off from competition for more than a year.

"It was our first match in a long time, and it looked like it," Williams said. "We're just learning how to play together."

After tonight's match, the Lady Cats travel to Portales on Thursday night.

Texico 3, Tucumcari 0 - In its season debut, Texico got 10 kills from senior Riley Rohrbach in a 25-13, 25-11, 25-9 victory.

Rachel Phipps pitched in with 17 assists and three services aces to go with six kills, while Skyler Schaap had seven kills and two blocks.

Texico hosted Portales Tuesday night after press time.

 
 
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