Despite finding multiple ways to keep the ball alive in its match against Midland High Tuesday, the Permian volleyball team couldn’t maintain an offensive rhythm.
The Lady Panthers dropped their second straight District 2-6A contest, falling 25-20, 25-18, 21-25, 25-18 at the Permian Fieldhouse.
Permian recorded 46 total digs, finding ways to fight back when the Lady Bulldogs would build a lead.
“It took us a little bit to get in rhythm with them,” Permian head coach Gillian Herrera said. “Once we finally got rhythm, we were picking up balls and keeping them alive.
“We would just make some costly attack errors or miss a serve.”
When Midland High took a 5-4 lead in the first set, the Lady Bulldogs didn’t surrender the advantage and only allowed Permian to tie things up once at 8-8.
Behind strong kills and blocks from Kansas State commit Aniya Clinton, Midland High was able to clinch a 25-20 first set victory.
The Lady Bulldogs got off to an even faster start in the second set, jumping out to a 5-0 lead.
The closest the Lady Panthers (24-10 overall, 1-2 District 2-6A) got to narrowing that deficit was when they trailed 6-4 after a kill from Nyxalee Munoz.
After Midland High (14-13, 2-2) took the 25-18 second set win, Permian started coming alive on the offensive side of the ball.
Permian led the third set from the start, until attack errors gave the Lady Bulldogs an opportunity to get back in it.
Things were tied at 21-21 until the Lady Panthers went on a 4-0 scoring run to force the match into a fourth set.
“Every team in our district is tough, there’s never a freebie,” Midland High head coach Bethany Johnstone said. “We’ve seen Permian in a tournament before, so we knew it was going to be tough.”
Johnstone added that the match felt like a rivalry and she knew her team would get a back-and-forth battle out of Permian.
The Lady Bulldogs would secure the match victory with a fourth set win, pulling away after Permian was able to keep things close early on.
Jade Workman led Permian with 13 kills, while Clinton recorded a match-high 19 kills of her own.
Workman also had 20 assists for the Lady Panthers, followed closely by Denali Cardenas who finished the night with 14.
Permian continues district play Friday against Abilene High at 5 p.m. Friday at the Permian Fieldhouse.
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Midland High def. Permian
25-20, 25-18, 21-25, 25-18
Tuesday at Permian Fieldhouse
Kills — Midland High: Aniya Clinton 19, Brooke Boehler 7, Kaylee Day 7, Grace Utter 4, Grace Ware 4, Jamie Swisher 3, Billie Brittain 1, Susana Salcedo 1, Desarae Johnson 1. Permian: Jade Workman 13, Nyxalee Munoz 10, Sarahi Orona 8, Cianna Harris 5, Anahi Orona 2, Denali Cardenas 1.
Blocks — Midland High: Clinton 3.5, Boehler 2.5, Utter 2.5, Day 1.5. Permian: Workman 3, Amry Quiroz 1.
Assists — Midland High: Imani Parker 18, Salcedo 15, Madison Wade 5, Serena Leascher 2. Permian: Workman 20, Cardenas 14, Anyssa Cruz 3.
Digs — Midland High: Clinton 23, Madison Zamora 18, Leascher 8, Swisher 3, Salcedo 2, Parker 2, Boehler 1, Ware 1. Permian: Cruz 13, Munoz 8, Workman 7, Cardenas 6, Harris 4, Iliana Garcia 2, Riley Nichols 2, Anahi Orona 2, Quiroz 2.
Aces — Midland High: Clinton 4, Johnson 1, Zamora 1. Permian: Cardenas 2, Workman 2, Anahi Orona 2, Munoz 1, Sarahi Orona 1, Harris 1.
Records
Midland High 14-13 overall, 2-2 District 2-6A; Permian 24-10, 1-2.
Sub-Varsity
JV: Midland High def. Permian, 25-22, 25-19.
