Hobbs earns sweep over Lady Rams

PORTALES — Portales High’s volleyball team got started a bit too late on Tuesday night.

Hobbs opened Game 1 on a 9-1 run and cruised until the third set, handing the Lady Rams a 25-15, 25-18, 25-23 loss at the Ram Athletic Center.

“They have a lot of firepower, a lot of strong hitters,” PHS coach Jacki Bailey said of the Lady Eagles (9-7). “We couldn’t get a lot going. There just weren’t a lot of opportunities for us to build momentum.”

Nobody reached double figures in any category for Portales (6-8), although the Lady Rams did make a run at Hobbs before dropping a tight third set. Senior Emma Long and junior Olivia Low had three kills apiece for PHS, while senior Maebri Knox collected eight digs and six assists.

Portales was slated to return to action on Saturday for a triangular at Friona with matches against the host Squaws and Amarillo Highland Park. Tuesday night, the Lady Rams take on Texico at the RAC.

PHS soccer teams fall — Portales High absorbed District 4-4A soccer shutout losses during the week, the Rams falling at Artesia 5-0 on Tuesday while the Lady Rams dropped a 4-0 decision to Roswell Goddard on Thursday at the PHS pitch.

In both matches, PHS fell behind 4-0 at halftime before regrouping a bit.

Senior Cameron Thorp had two goals for Artesia (11-6, 1-2 district) while the Bulldogs also picked up an own-goal. Artesia’s final tally came in the late stages of the match, Rams coach Ruben Tellez noted.

Portales was coming off a 2-1 loss at home three days earlier against Class 4A No. 2 Goddard. The teams endured a lightning delay of more than two hours at the start, and Tellez said the squad didn’t get back to Portales until 1 a.m.

“We played great against Goddard, and then in the first half (on Tuesday) we played terrible,” he said. “We played better in the second half.”

The Rams were slated to host Lovington in district play on Saturday, then travel to Goddard on Thursday.

Sophomore midfielder/defender Lauren Medrano scored twice in the first 23 minutes and Goddard (9-7, 2-0) never looked back.

“I think they’re the strongest (team) in our district,” Portales coach Bonnie Britton said of the Lady Rockets. “After the first half, we were able to fix our mistakes.

“We tried some new things. We’re just trying to find something that might work for us.”

Junior forward/midfielder Lexi Pinon and freshman forward/midfielder Olivia Rossow added goals for the Lady Rockets later in the half. Goddard outshot PHS 12-1 on goal and had a 9-2 advantage in corner kicks.”

Goddard outshot Portales on goal 12-1. Freshman goalkeeper Lissette Gomez made eight saves for PHS.

The Lady Rams (0-10-4, 0-2) do not play again until Saturdays, when they visit Artesia.