Cowgirls Split Opening Tournament Matches

The Culbertson Cowgirls opened district tournament action with a 25-14, 15-25, 2522, 23-25, 15-4, victory over Nashua on Thursday, Oct. 27.

Culbertson trailed by a 2220 margin in the third set, but an ace by Perla Burciaga tied the score at 22-22.

After a back-row kill by Makena Hauge, the Cowgirls finished the set on two aces by Burciaga.

A kill by Hauge and two aces by Alicyn Ator put Culbertson up 21-20 in the fourth set, but Nashua rallied for a 25-23 victory.

In the fifth and deciding set, the Cowgirls accounted for the first seven points on the strong serving of Destiny Thompson and kills by Hauge.

Kills by Jazzmin Fugere and Hauge along with a serve by Burciaga increased the margin to 10-1.

Two kills by Hauge resulted in Culbertson’s final two points of the win.

Hauge finished the match with 41 kills, eight aces, 14 digs and eight blocks.

Ator accounted for five aces, 29 assists and six digs. Thompson scored five aces, one assist, 15 digs, two blocks and 16 kills.

Burciaga finished with an ace, 12 digs, eight kills and two blocks. Fugere had an ace, 11 digs and 11 kills. Leandra Perkins had three aces, five assists and seven digs.

After a close first set, the Cowgirls fell short against Savage by a 22-25, 17-25, 9-25, final.

A kill by Thompson and a block by Fugere pulled the Cowgirls to a 16-16 deadlock in the first set.

Two aces by Perkins and a nice net play by Thompson put Culbertson ahead 20-18.

The game was even at 2121, but Savage then tallied the last four points of the opening set.

Culbertson fell behind 6-1 in the second set, but two kills by Hauge cut the gap to 7-4.

After the Warriors took a 16-8 advantage, the Cowgirls battled back to 16-11 on a block and kill by Hauge. A spike by Burciaga got the Cowgirls to 24-16, before Savage scored the final point on a block by Karley McPherson.

Savage raced out to a 21-8 advantage in the third set and won by a 25-9 final.