Decatur seniors play final match at home, lose to Lavaca

Westside Eagle Observer/MIKE ECKELS Kaylee Morales manages to dig the ball back toward the Lady Golden Arrow side of the net during the Thursday Decatur-Lavaca game at Decatur Middle School. This was Morales' final home game of her high school career.
Westside Eagle Observer/MIKE ECKELS Kaylee Morales manages to dig the ball back toward the Lady Golden Arrow side of the net during the Thursday Decatur-Lavaca game at Decatur Middle School. This was Morales' final home game of her high school career.

DECATUR -- The home bleachers at the Decatur Middle School gym were packed as students, family and fans gathered to say farewell to six seniors during the final home volleyball match of the 2019 season. Unfortunately, the night did not go in the Lady Bulldogs' favor as the Lavaca Lady Golden Arrows swept the match in three straight sets.

Prior to the start of the match, six Lady Bulldog senior players were honored for their commitment to the Decatur volleyball program over the past three years. The honored players included Destiny Mejia, Kaylee Morales, Natalia Rodriguez, Kaliey Sutherland, Kyleigh McBride and Sophia Di'Giovine. It was a short ceremony because it was time to get the match underway.

The Lady Golden Arrows, who hold second place in the conference, were first on the scoreboard during the first set. From that point, Lavaca began building on its lead. After a timeout, the Lady Bulldogs were able to regain their focus and jump back into the contest, closing the gap on Lavaca. The Lady Bulldogs closed to within five points when the Lady Golden Arrows slipped the ball past the outside corner of the Decatur court, taking the first set, 25-19.

Decatur was unable to pull together as a team during the second set, and Lavaca continued slipping shot after shot past the Lady Bulldogs' defense. The Lady Golden Arrows took the second set, 25-9.

The Decatur Lady Bulldogs came alive early in the third set, taking as much as a four-point lead over the stronger and more aggressive Lavaca team. Eventually, Lavaca came back to tie the contest at nine. A timeout by the Lavaca coach switched the match momentum in the Lady Golden Arrows' favor and they took the final set, 25-16, and the match in straight sets.

This was the final conference contest of the 2019 volleyball season for the Decatur Lady Bulldogs, who finished in fourth place in the 2A West race with a 6-6 record. This earned the team a fourth seed berth in the district tournament in Hackett on Oct. 21-24.

Sports on 10/16/2019