The Permian volleyball team defeated Lubbock High in three sets Tuesday at Permian Fieldhouse.
Playing in a nondistrict contest, the Lady Panthers won by scores of 27-25, 25-16 and 25-15.
The Lady Panthers improved their record to 10-6 overall while Lubbock High fell to 6-12.
“I was proud of the girls,” Permian head coach Gillian Herrera said. “We wanted the girls to come out and play aggressive and they did that. It was 24-24 and early in the season. We needed the girls to execute and they did. I was proud of them.”
Jade Workman led the Lady Panthers in kills with 15 while Bridgit Smithee had six and Mylah Arzaga had five.
Both teams kept it close in the first set as Permian took an 8-6 lead.
Lubbock High then went on a 4-0 run to go in front 10-8.
Permian, however, came back and both teams continued to trade points throughout.
A kill by Smithee gave the Lady Panthers a set point at 25-24.
However, a kill by the Lady Westerners on the following play tied it back up.
Permian scored the next two points to take the set 27-25.
“I think it was pretty strong back and forth,” Lubbock High head coach Matthew Leesman said. “I thought we did a good job of playing to our strengths. Permian’s two setters outside came on and played a pretty good game. We just had a few mental hick ups and lost focus towards the end.”
A kill by Workman made it 3-2, Permian, early in the second set.
The Lady Panthers followed it up with two more kills to make it 5-2 soon after.
Permian kept its foot on the pedal and quickly had a six-point lead.
The Lady Westerners then went on a 3-0 run, capped off with a block from Bailey Litteral.
An error by Lubbock High made it 16-8, Permian.
Permian kept continued to control the set and had little to no trouble closing it out.
A kill by Workman clinched the set for the Lady Panthers 25-16.
An error by the Lady Westerners gave the Lady Panthers a 7-4 lead in the third set.
A serve error by Lubbock High made it 10-6, Permian, soon after and Workman added a kill on the following play.
Permian saw a 16-10 lead turn into a two-point set after a 4-0 run by the Lady Westerners and Herrera called a timeout.
The Lady Panthers came out of the timeout with new momentum, going on a quick 2-0 run for an 18-14 lead before Lubbock High called a timeout.
Permian kept up its run and closed with a 25-15 win for the sweep.
“We’ve just been talking about keeping our unforced errors to a minimum,” Herrera said. “I felt like we served more aggressively in the second and third set and kept them out of their offense. We were able to execute and earn some points.”
So far, Herrera has liked what she’s seen from some of her underclassmen during the nondistrict portion of the schedule.
“We have a couple of sophomores stepping up in the rotation,” Herrera said. “We’re working as a team and we have to use these games to work on our offense and find out who’s going where and what works best for us.”
