Hondo Anvil Herald

Earning a sweep, Owls eye playoffs

 

     A Tuesday night, Oct. 20, must-win for the Hondo Owls produced exactly what the volleyball team needed.

    The Owls never trailed once in either of the first two sets, then took the lead midway through the third to go on to a sweep of Carrizo Springs, 25-19, 25-20, 25-22.

     Coming off a four-set home loss, 25-23, 15-25, 25-23, 25-11, to Lytle on Friday, Oct. 16, the Owls desperately needed the Senior Night win over the Ladycats in order to have a shot to clinch a playoff berth on Friday.

     If the Owls (18-19 season, 6-5 district) can close out the District 28-3A schedule with a win at Natalia on Friday, Oct. 23, at 4:30 p.m., they will wrap up the district’s fourth and final spot in the playoffs. As the third-largest enrollment school in 28-3A – and with the two larger schools, Devine and Carrizo Springs already qualifying for postseason – the Owls would be in the Division 2 bracket.

     A playoff spot for the Owls would pair them up against Poth in the bi-district round, to be played between Oct. 29-31. The Pirettes are the outright champs of District 27-3A, and will be the top seed in the Division 2 playoff bracket.

     If Natalia were to knock off the Owls, that would force a play-in match between Hondo and Crystal City early this coming week. The winner would then advance to postseason.

     In Tuesday’s win over the Ladycats, the Owls jumped ahead 6-0 out of the gate, and held the lead throughout the first set. Carrizo Springs got as close as two points, but the Owls pulled away late to take the 25-19 win.

     Hondo again took a lead in the second set, going up 3-0, and never allowing the Ladycats to get any closer than two points.

Carrizo took the early lead in the third set, starting out 3-0, then 7-2 and 13-10, before Hondo reeled off five straight points to take its first lead. The teams traded leads up to 22-22, before the Owls scored the final three points of the match.