Farmersville senior Isabella Lopez (7) goes to one knee to make a pass during the Region II-4A Division II final at Sachse High School on Nov. 10. Photo by Tina Lopez / C&S Media
By David Wolman
SACHSE – Playing District 13-4A rival Sunnyvale for the third time this season, Farmersville head volleyball coach Arian May expected both teams to execute a few new plays that it had not shown in the teams’ previous two matches.
One strategy that Farmersville attempted to execute during the Region II-4A Division II final Nov. 10 at Sachse High School was a 5-1 offense, a system that uses five hitters and one dedicated setter who runs the offense through all six rotations on the court.
While Farmersville had flashes of brilliance, Sunnyvale’s block proved to be tough for the Lady Farmers to penetrate at times in a season-ending 25-22, 25-13, 25-20 loss.
Nine points ended in blocks by Sunnyvale, with the Lady Raiders’ front row of Paislee Maupin, Cate Macha, Ava Macha and Bethany Young accounting for most of the team’s blocks.
“They were just very disciplined, especially with their blocking, and we weren’t able to adjust to that,” May said. “We tried to throw some things out there, but they came out and they were very disciplined in their defense.”
One month ago, Farmersville defeated Sunnyvale in five sets as the Lady Farmers earned their first win against the Lady Raiders in four years.
Last week’s rematch had the same energy, with the teams trading scoring runs, especially in the first set.
Senior outside hitter Peighton Purser lowered the boom on a hard hit that went for a kill in the back left corner on the first point of the match.
Farmersville scored the first point in all three sets, but the Lady Farmers led just five times on the evening.
Despite trailing for a majority of the match, Farmersville was within striking distance of Sunnyvale on several occasions.
After a kill by Ava Macha gave the Lady Raiders an 11-5 lead, the Lady Farmers rallied behind Purser. Purser had three kills over the next seven points, and a net violation that followed on Sunnyvale tied the score at 12-12. Purser tallied 11 kills in her last high school match. Freshman Emree Brazil had six kills, followed by five from junior Lillian Couture.
Sunnyvale retook the lead with a Maupin kill on the ensuing point, but Farmersville continued to battle. The Lady Farmers later fought off two sets points, but a kill by Ava Macha on set point clinched the opening set for the Lady Raiders.
“They had great energy, and I felt that it was a battle at the beginning,” May said. “It was very back and forth. I still felt that my kids still handled it pretty good. We had some moments that we didn’t capitalize on offense and we got too predictable, which made them look better defensively.”
The second set proved to be a pivotal moment in the match.
Farmersville had the early momentum. A kill by junior Cambrant Donaldson gave the Lady Farmers a 4-3 lead. After a missed serve by the Lady Farmers, a hitting error by the Lady Raiders put Farmersville back in the lead.
May also praised her defense for its play throughout the match.
“Defense played lights out on the back row,” she said.
However, it was a lead that Farmersville was unable to build on.
Sunnyvale used a formidable block to hold Farmersville to just eight points over the remainder of the set, and timely kills by Maupin, Young and Ava Macha kept the Lady Raiders’ offense on schedule.
Farmersville nearly pulled off a furious rally in the third set after trailing 16-9, but a missed serve and then a kill by Cate Macha on match point ended the Lady Farmers’ chances for a comeback.
The loss ended one of the best seasons in Farmersville (35-12) history.
“It was special,” May said. “We just got done talking about how special this group is, and it was only our third time to make regional finals in Farmersville history. I hope they take pride in that.”
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