The Roswell Coyotes volleyball team swept the Alamogordo Tigers (25-9, 25-16, 25-18) at home Tuesday, Sept. 15.
Coyotes head coach Savanah Romero credited the victory to an all-around team effort, while singling out middle hitter Mia Maclel and opposite hitter Lilly Lucero as top contributors.
“I thought Mia and Lilly both played really well,” Romero said. “I think we played really good coverage too and I think everybody played well overall.”
Roswell (3-7) set the tone immediately in the first set, racing to an 11-4 lead and forcing Alamogordo head coach Rachel Montoya to call timeout. The stoppage did little to slow the Coyotes, as they closed the set on a 14-5 run to win by 16 points.
The Tigers (3-6) came out with more fight in the second set, as they jumped ahead 4-1 early. Roswell then answered with a 6-0 run to flip the momentum and take a three-point lead. The Tigers stayed within striking distance for much of the set, but the Coyotes refused to let the advantage slip away. Defensive specialist Otsie Lackey came up with several key saves, as Roswell maintained control and put the set away.
The third set was the most competitive of the night. Neither team could establish much separation early, with the score tied at 5-5. Alamogordo then grabbed a 13-11 lead, prompting Romero to call a timeout. Roswell then responded, ripping off eight consecutive points to take a 19-13 advantage. Alamogordo continued to battle down the stretch, but Roswell had built too much momentum and finished off the sweep.
For Romero, the result was a reflection of the way her team competed from start to finish.
“It’s always exciting to win on our home court,” Romero said. “The girls played really well in all three sets and didn’t miss any serves in the second. We kept the momentum going all match and played hard, so I’m really proud of them.”
Roswell returns to the court against crosstown rival Goddard (6-1) at 6 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 17, on the road.
Marshall Mecham can be reached at (915) 232-1793 or on X @mecham_marshall. Mecham serves with the New Mexico Local News Fellowship, which places emerging journalists in newsrooms across the state. Learn more at www.newmexicolocalnewsfellowships.org.
