Photos courtesy of Charla Shults and Cartershots
The Pampa Lady Harvesters took care of business Tuesday night, sweeping the Perryton Rangerettes in three sets to pick up their second District 4-4A victory of the season.
Pampa controlled the match from beginning to end, taking the opening set 25-10 before following with a 25-13 victory in the second. The Lady Harvesters finished off the sweep with a 25-14 win in the third set. The victory improved Pampa to 18-13 overall and 2-3 in district play.
Before the match, there was a celebration of senior Haili Newton’s 500th point. She accomplished this feat over the weekend in Hereford and the team celebrated back home in front of the McNeely Fieldhouse crowd.
Pampa’s head coach Kaylee Samulowitz said the Lady Harvesters played with confidence and, more importantly, trusted one another throughout the match.
“We just came out with a lot of confidence on Tuesday,” Samulowitz said. “We didn't overthink anything and the girls trusted each other to get the job done. It was fun to see them enjoying themselves while also staying focused and executing the game plan.”
That confidence showed as Pampa was able to stay in control throughout all three sets and secure a much-needed district victory.
One of the key pieces for the Lady Harvesters this season has been sophomore Addi Bagwell, whose versatility has allowed her to contribute in several different areas of the court.
“Addi is such a special player,” Samulowitz said. “She plays a huge role for us as only a sophomore and has been our best serve receive passer this season. Her backrow play allows us to run our offense, which she is also a huge piece of. Addi is so versatile and it's been fun to see her excel in a bunch of different places so far this season.”
The Perryton win keeps Pampa firmly in the District 4-4A playoff conversation as the Lady Harvesters head into another important matchup Saturday.
Pampa will travel to Dumas for a noon matchup with the Demonettes. Pampa currently sits fifth in the district standings at 2-3, while Dumas is 1-4 in district play and 15-12 overall.
With the top four teams advancing to the postseason, the Lady Harvesters understand the importance of Saturday’s match as they approach the second half of district play.
“Saturday vs. Dumas is a must win for us,” Samulowitz said. “Right now our focus is fine tuning some of our game while also getting ready for a few great players from Dumas. We've got to continue serving and passing well, and also making sure our offense continues to improve going into this game. I'm hoping that we can keep our playoff hopes alive with a big win Saturday.”
The Lady Harvesters will look to carry the confidence and momentum from Tuesday’s sweep with them on the road when they face Dumas Saturday at noon.
Stat Roundup
Senior Haili Newton had 10 kills, two digs and one block assist; sophomore Addi Bagwell had eight aces, 10 kills, six digs and one assist; junior Brooklyn Warren had nine kills; senior Yaritza Saenz had one ace and two digs; senior Naya Gallegos had one assist and five digs; junior Madi Barton had one ace, one kill, 34 assists, seven digs and one solo block; senior Olivia Owens had three aces, eight kills, one assist and two digs; Senior Elli Peet had three kills; junior Myla Zarate had two assists and five digs; junior Karsyn Brown had one ace and nine kills.
