Big-time rivals team up for North squad

ALBUQUERQUE

Working in tandem, Piedra Vista’s Autumn Begay and Farmington’s Georgia Willie helped the North All-Stars to a four-point win in the opening set.

But as the match wore on, the South team put the hammer down to score a 21-25, 25-17, 25-19 victory on Monday night during the Class 5A/6A New Mexico High School Coaches Association Volleyball All-Star Game at West Mesa High School.

“I think this was a cool experience to play with Georgia because our schools are big-time rivals,” Begay said. “In the end we just came together and got past the rivalry.”

For her entire high school career, Willie remembered Begay as a big-time hitter for Piedra Vista but for this game they played as allies.

“It was a good experience and I thought we played well together,” Willie said.

In the opening set, the pair combined for five kills on just eight swings.

Willie had two of her kills during a 6-2 run with her final one knotting the game at 16-all. The contest was tied three more times before the North team used a 5-0 rally to take a 23-19 advantage. During that stretch, Los Alamos High outside hitter Brianna Montano had three kills while Begay capped the run with a stuff block.

That four-point margin was enough for the North to close out the set.

“I think we got our jitters out and we were hitting the ball with a lot of confidence,” Willie said of their performance in the opening set.

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