ANAHUAC — This one was for coach Kristin Lemoine.
The Nederland Lady Bulldogs were without their head coach and made sure to send her a win in the Class 5A Region III bi-district playoffs.
Nederland (26-12) swept New Caney Porter 25-16, 25-19 and 25-21. Lemoine missed the match and was taking care of her child in a Houston hospital with an unreported sickness. The child and mother were said to be in stable condition.
The Lady Bulldogs now face the winner of Santa Fe and Angleton later this week.
The Lady Bulldogs stormed out the blocks against the Lady Spartans (18-18). Nederland took an 8-2 lead in the first set behind seven straight service points from Darcie Jones.
Porter then traded points with Nederland later in the set, which did it no good as the Lady Bulldogs won, 25-16.
The second set was closer until Payton Swanson came to serve for Nederland. Swanson, who had seven points and 14 digs, hit for four straight points to give the Lady Bulldogs a 14-6 lead. The Lady Spartans had four straight hitting errors in the run.
Once again late in the match, Porter and Nederland traded points and the back-and-forth only stopped when Jones ended the set with an ace.
Porter led the final set 11-6, only to see the lead slip away. Nederland took its first lead at 14-13 with Jones at serve and never looked back.
Courtney Noel, who finished with 12 kills and six blocks, had the match’s final kill.
“I am super proud of the girls,” Nederland assistant coach Anney Montalvo said. “They worked very hard and talked. We stayed on top of our game. They played this game for Coach Lemoine.
“They stayed focused and did what they had to do to win in three. We are ready for the next round and Coach Lemoine to come back. We pray for her baby who is still doing good.”
Marlie Lee had 12 kills and 13 digs, Jones had 16 points and 10 digs and Emma Forsythe finished with four kills, 14 digs and 11 assists. Abbey Montalvo added 15 assists and three digs.
Shelby Williams led the Lady Spartans with six kills while Kayla Larue added seven assists and three kills. Madalyn Moore finished with five kills for Porter.