Lady Warrior hitter Morgan Perkins (8) came up big for Socorro.
Russell Huffman | El Defensor Chieftain photos

There’s a similar theme among the county’s volleyball teams as Alamo, Magdalena and Socorro are all working toward maturing youthful rosters.

All three teams took part in the Magdalena tournament, and their coaches were looking for players to step into leadership roles while seeking the right combination on the court for a solid set of starters and backups.

SOCORRO WARRIORS

The Lady Warriors have started the season a little lackluster, and coach Christie Chavez isn’t worried as much about wins and losses as her team’s on-the-court focus.

“Coming into this tournament, I was focusing on keeping a positive attitude,” Chavez said. “Our girls often get down on each other and themselves more than anything, which brings the whole team down. So, that was my goal today: to keep a positive attitude if we make a mistake, go back and fix the error. And try to keep pushing for the win. You know, it’s hard with 25-minute games.”

Pool play consisted of a 5-minute warmup followed by a 25-minute-long game. The Lady Warriors are improving, especially in blocking at the net, where the movements have become thought out rather than reacting to situations.

“We played a lot better. They were playing well together,” Chavez said. “Communication is always one of our biggest things.”

Players seen making highlight plays included Tamara Fowler, Davaeh Murrieta, Tiovanna Anaya and Reyna Alvarado

Alamo senior hitter Hailey Apachito attacks the net..

ALAMO COUGARS

Coach Danielle Gordon is in her second season at the helm of the Lady Cougars, and after winning the bronze bracket last season, she was looking to push her team to new heights. At the same time, Alamo is working on not being one-dimensional.

“Our main goal is to work together. Sharing while we’re on the court, having a good time while we’re using our skills and then also to do better than we did last year,” Gordon said. “We’re playing a little higher level, and we’ve been working hard for this.”

Serving is one area where Gordon would like to see immediate improvement.

“We need more work on our serves, and then we must also focus on communication and transition,” Gordon said.

Alamo got solid play from Hailey Apachito, Sapphira Sandoval, Katelyn Stockham and Alvina Apachito.

Magdalena’s bench was great at encouraging the players on the court.

MAGDALENA STEERS

Coach Sue Ann Conley likes to use tournaments to discover her team’s character. The quick turnaround for games and multiple opponents is the ideal opportunity to find out.

“We are completely new then from what we were last year. Every year is different. And the dynamic of the team is always different,” Conley said. “You must figure out who’s got to do what and who’s got to lead. You must figure out your team every single year.”

As the host school, there is the added burden of helping call plays at the line for players, and athletes are called to perform other duties, too.

“Right now, our goal is to get better every game. We are using this tournament as a steppingstone to get ready for the rest of the season,” Conley said. “We have got to play consistently and work on improving every game.”

Lady Cougars’ highlights included Monique Baca, Kambree Montoya, Kaydence Autry and the county’s most spirited bench.

Russell Huffman, El Defensor Chieftain Asst. Editor