Well, folks...I have no idea why the audio blogs didn't post today, as I "gave it a go" for both of the matches at the Pearland Tournament! Believe me, the players, school and fans were working hard, but it turns out that I sure wasted a lot of hot air in our blogging efforts during the exciting Lady Bulldog's games! I guess I'm going to have go ahead and bench myself....
The Lady Bulldogs (13-7) lost both matches on the tournament's opening day; the first against the top ranked and undefeated (26-0) Amarillo Lady Sandies in two games, and then later against the (6-3) Bellaire Lady Cardinals in 3 tough games. Bellaire had lost to Deer Park in their opener and it turns out that Deer Park lost to Amarillo in two games during their afternoon play. There is obviously a lot of parity at this level.
The ladies gave it a good try and jumped on Amarillo in Game #1 by a score of 6-2, before the Sandies woke up and dug themselves out and promptly went on a scoring spree that the Lady Bulldogs did not have an answer for. The Lady Bulldogs had just heard that the other top ranked team (Kingwood Lady Mustangs) had just lost to FB Austin in 3 games and were ready to be 'giant-killers', but Amarillo played as good of a defensive game as the Lady Bulldogs have faced this year, and packed a powerful punch when they needed it. I was told they started 4 sophomores in their line-up...ouch.
The front line of the Magnolia Lady Bulldogs standing vigilantly.
left to right: Michele Williams, Heather Bowden, Lauren Michael.
The afternoon match didn't fare any better for the Lady Bulldogs as they fell to the Bellaire Lady Cardinals 23-25 after having them caged 23-20 before they came back with 5 straight points. Game #2 was different though, as the Lady Bulldogs toughened up and took the game by the same score. The tie-breaker Game #3 was a good one, but the Lady Bulldogs shot themselves in the paws repeatedly with un-forced errors, and eventually fell 25-20.
Somehow Bellaire's OH squeezes the ball through the outstretched
arms and fingers of Kelli Stewart (13) and Michele Williams (23).
The Lady Bulldogs are scheduled to play Friday morning at 11:20 and possibly at 2:00 PM (if they win their match). The ladies will then travel to take on their District 17-5A foe: Langham Creek Lady Lobos (try saying that 10 times real fast!!) at 6:00 PM. We hope the ladies get plenty of rest, and play strong tomorrow to stay at the top of the district race. The JV will get started at 5:00 PM.
GO GET 'EM LADY BULLDOGS !!!
