Lady Eagles leave it all on the court
Progress Times photo by Mario Magallon Photography
The Mission High Lady Eagles volleyball team traveled to Rio Grande City High Tuesday night and defeated the RGC Lady Rattlers in four sets, 25-17, 24-26, 25-13, 25-19. The hard-fought road victory gave the Lady Eagles firm control of second place in their conference home, District 30-5A. Their current record stands at (20-6, 6-1) as they enter the second leg of district play.
Traveling to Rio Grande City for an athletic competition can be challenging. The trek has a dulling effect. It can zap the most energized teams and athletes. Tuesday evening was no exception. All four Lady Eagles volleyball teams piled into one bus for the journey, but as they embarked, quite possibly the most annoying thing that could happen to any Valleyite traveling on a school bus happened. The air-conditioner broke.
“It was so hot. I mean, I couldn’t get to Rio fast enough,” Lady Eagles’ head coach Edna Clemons said about her team’s transportation struggles.
The journey took the wind out of the Lady Eagles’ sails. They exited the bus and entered the gym, but something happened. Lethargy and fatigue set in. The girls were tired and falling asleep. At that moment, Clemons knew she had to do something. She rallied her girls to the guest locker room and turned on a boom box to get the girls warmed up and ready to play. Her positive attitude woke the girls up. They snapped out of their heat-induced stupors and focused on their opponents.
Progress Times photo by Mario Magallon Photography
The Lady Eagles dominated the game’s first set, winning by 8 points. They had set the tone, but the high wouldn’t last. Trusted middle blocker Victoria Guzman rolled her ankle and left the game. Her loss was an added gut punch for the already undersized Lady Eagles’ frontline.
Partially startled by the loss of their teammate, the Lady Eagles lost the second set in nail biting fashion, falling by a mere two points.
“We had to come back and adjust,” Clemons said when describing her team’s comeback after dropping set two.
Breanna Longoria, Isabella Morales, and senior captain Kayla Alaniz stepped up defensively and carried the Lady Eagles through the rest of the match. They bulldozed the Lady Rattlers in the game’s final two sets to win the match, only allowing 32 points. Alaniz and Vanessa Espinoza combined for 32 kills and 20 digs. Senior setter Joselyn Rodriguez tallied a whopping 43 assists. Meanwhile, Morales posted a team-high 12 defensive digs.
Earlier this month, the Lady Eagles were outclassed on their home court in a defacto seeding game by their sister school and hated rival, the Mission Veterans Lady Patriots. The feelings that loss created were too hard to ignore, but the lessons it taught them were invaluable. The Lady Eagles haven’t lost since. They are 4-0 since that fateful night, with wins over the Roma Lady Gladiators and last year’s district champion, the La Joya Palmview Lady Lobos.
“I told them from the get-go, ‘Hey, this is a tough district. Palmview is tough, Veterans is tough, but I know we have a team that can win district.’ I told them that from the get-go,” Clemons said when asked about her team’s impressive September.
Progress Times photo by Mario Magallon Photography
The Lady Eagles’ next goal is the same as the last. Win at all costs and secure a district championship. With six games remaining in district play, the Lady Eagles have an intriguing opportunity to play spoiler in a district they just joined. If the Lady Veterans do what most assume they will, the Lady Eagles could end up co-district champions.
So now, if everything remains the same, the October 8th rematch between the two could end up being the unofficial district championship match. The task is daunting, but this year, nothing seems too difficult for the Lady Eagles to overcome. They’re playing inspired volleyball at the right time of the year.
And most importantly, they’ve shown resilience in the most challenging part of their schedule, which will be valuable in the playoffs. Their grit and tenacity are thanks in large part to their collective belief. The Lady Eagles’ belief in each other, their coaches, and their community has been the life force behind their resurgence.
“We come from a long tradition here at Mission High School. I was a Mission High graduate. My Coach Monica Salinas Rivas, my JV coach, was a Mission High graduate. Pearl Cantu, my JV light coach, also graduated from Mission. We carry a lot of tradition and a lot of pride. I instill that in them. I instill that Eagle pride,” Clemons said when asked to describe the 24-25 Lady Eagles volleyball team.
That pride has fueled a renaissance run for the Lady Eagles, who don’t plan on taking a step backwards anytime soon. Not this year or ever. They know every moment is valuable. It’d be a disservice to everything that came before and everything yet to be if they took things for granted.
“I have a ritual for my seniors where I walk them back onto the court after the last game. And I always say the first thing you’ll tell me is, ‘I miss it, Coach.’ I miss it.’ So, leave it all on the court. Have no regrets, and don’t look back like ‘What if’? You leave it all on that court when you walk off that court. That Eagle pride should shine through,” Clemons said.
Big 7 Volleyball Games this weekend:
Today, 09/27:
Mission Veterans High (24-4, 8-0) at Roma High (10-16, 1-6)
Mission High (20-6, 6-1) at Laredo Nixon (10-16, 1-5)
Tomorrow, 09/28:
La Joya Palmview (14-11, 5-2) at Laredo Cigarroa (9-9, 1-3)
Sharyland High (28-3, 6-1) at PSJA North (10-15, 0-7)
Weslaco (13-15) at La Joya (10-15)
La Joya Juarez-Lincoln at Laredo Nixon (10-16, 1-5)