Socorro’s Analyz Alderete sets the ball during the Lady Warriors 3–0 win over Tohatchi in the state quarterfinals on Monday.
Caitie Ihrig | El Defensor Chieftain photos

In the quarterfinals of the 2020–21 Rudy’s Real Texas Bar-B-Q Volleyball State Championships, the No. 1 Socorro Lady Warriors defeated the No. 8 Tohatchi Lady Cougars 3–0 at home on Monday. The Lady Warriors went on to face Hot Springs on Wednesday, but the match was after El Defensor Chieftain’s press time.

On Monday night, the Lady Warriors started off strong in the first set as they took a 7–0 lead-off points from Marysa Ocampo and Jazlynn Armijo and mistakes from the Lady Cougars.

Tohatchi then added the next three points, but Socorro came back in full swing and made it a 12–3 set. The Lady Warriors continued to add points to the board and pulled ahead to an 18–6 lead via points from Jayden Van Winkle and Analyz Alderete along with Lady Cougar mistakes.

Jayden Van Winkle hints the ball over the net during the third
set of the Lady Warriors 3–0 win at home.

After Tohatchi scored their final two points of the set, points from Van Winkle, Marissa Herrera and Garee Celine Apodaca gave the Lady Warriors 25–8 win for the first set. The second set started off just like the first as Socorro took a 7–0 lead off of Tohatchi mistakes and points from Ocampo.

After the Lady Cougars added two points to the board, the Lady Warriors took a 13–2 lead via Tohatchi mistakes and an ace from Van Winkle. Points then went back-and-forth as each team added three points to the board. With a 16–6 score, Socorro extended their lead to 20–6 via two points from Alderate and two Tohatchi mistakes.

Three consecutive Lady Warrior mistakes added points for the Lady Cougars, and after each team scored a point, a few more Socorro mistakes made it a 21–13 set. After a hit from Herrera and Taelene Fowler and a Lady Warrior mistake, a hit from Van Winkle and Apodaca ended the set at 25–14.

The beginning of the third set was a battle between Socorro and Tohatchi as the Lady Cougars were awarded the first two points off of Lady Warrior mistakes.

Socorro began to find their rhythm as they took a 7–2 lead via hits from Ocampo, Van Winkle and Fowler, and Tohatchi mistakes.

A slew of Lady Warrior mistakes made it a 7–6 set, but then five Lady Cougar mistakes put Socorro ahead 11–7. Both teams then stayed within a few points of each other until it was a 13–11 set.

Hits from Apodaca and Alderete, along with two Tohatchi mistakes gave Socorro a 17–11 lead. After a Lady Warrior mistake, the rest of the set was all Socorro as the Lady Cougars were unable to add another point to the board.

Socorro’s run started with a Tohatchi mistake and then Van Winkle and Alderete each had a point and Ocampo had two. The set ended with two Lady Cougar mistakes and a point from Van Winkle, making the final score 25–12.

Prior to Monday night’s match, Socorro hosted a 4A neutral site match between No. 3 Santa Teresa and No. 6 Los Alamos. Santa Teresa won 3–2.

Santa Teresa took the first set 25–23, but Los Alamos claimed the second set 26–24. The third and fourth sets were won with a 25–21 score as Santa Teresa took the third and Los Alamos won the fourth. Santa Teresa won the fifth 15–12 to move onto the semifinals.

On Wednesday, Santa Teresa faced No. 2 seed Albuquerque Academy