Lady Hawks last Valley team standing

For the fourth time since moving from Class 4A to Class 5A, Harlingen South advances to the Region IV tournament after a 26-24, 25-21, 18-25, 11-25, 15-12 win over Eagle Pass on Tuesday in Laredo.

With Edinburg High and Mission High falling, South is the only Rio Grande Valley team in the playoffs and for the second match in a row needed five games to advance.

Lady Hawks coach Steve Lunsford said as the season went on his team's mental toughness has improved. The Lady Hawks needed mental toughness after falling behind 7-3 in the final game.

"Once we got it even at 11-11, the girls just turned it on," Steve Lunsford said. "Their mental toughness came through."

The Lady Hawks (29-6), the District 31-5A champs, take on either San Antonio Churchill or Austin Westlake in the regional semis Friday at St. Mary's University in San Antonio.

"The competition we are going to face is going to be tough," said Lunsford, who guided the Lady Hawks to the final four as a Class 4A squad in 2003. "We are going to go up there confident and give it everything we got."

Joslynn Benavides recorded 18 kills. Sarah Flores and Amanda Duran each had 10 kills. Ariel Guevara led the team with 35 digs.
Setters Ali Lunsford (22 assists) and Bianca Torre (24 assists) combined for 46 assists.

"We were pulling for Mission and Edinburg. They had great seasons," Steve Lunsford said.

"We are proud represent the Valley, and we will represent the Valley well."

CLASS 4A
CASTROVILLE MEDINA VALLEY DEF. MISSION HIGH 19-25, 25-22, 25-18, 25-18: At Kingsville, for the second consecutive season Mission High's season ends in the Class 4 regional quarterfinals.

Similar to when Edcouch-Elsa faced Castroville in the area round, the Lady Eagles won the first game but could not keep up the rest of the way.

Mission High finishes its season 23-10 and were the seed in District 32-4A with an 11-3 mark.

Castroville advances to the regional semis where it will face the winner of the Lake Travis-Dripping Springs on Friday in San Antonio.

The Lady Eagles were looking to become the first team in school history to advance past the regional quarterfinals.
Castroville (21-18) was led by setter's Kristyn Kepmt 52 assists and Cristina Roma's 31 kills.

Mission High received 12 kills from Celina Vera and Monica Flores.

Victoria De Leon recorded 11 solo blocks, three of which were stuff blocks for the Lady Eagles.

Peter Rasmussen covers high school volleyball for Valley Freedom Newspapers. You can reach him at (956) 683-4448 or via e-mail at prasmussen@themonitor.com.