EL PASO HIGH SURVIVES DEL VALLE IN FIVE-SET THRILLER

📸 Photo Courtesy Rudy Davila EL PASO, Texas — El Paso High and Del Valle delivered a true volleyball slugfest, with the Tigers ultimately surviving a dramatic five-set battle, 3-2, after rallying through a match that featured momentum swings, extended rallies and a deciding fifth set. El Paso High opened the match by dropping the first two sets, 19-25 and 23-25, putting the Tigers on the brink. Rather than fold, however, El Paso High responded with its best volleyball of the night, storming back to claim the third set 25-20 and forcing a fourth. The Tigers kept the pressure on in the fourth, taking the set 25-16 to erase Del Valle's early advantage and send the match to a winner-take-all fifth set. And the fifth was everything a decisive set should be. With both teams battling for every point, El Paso High ultimately prevailed 17-15, completing the comeback and escaping with a hard-earned 3-2 victory. The final scoreline — 19-25, 23-25, 25-20, 25-16, 17-15 — tells the story of just how fiercely contested the match was. LARA LEADS EL PASO HIGH DEFENSIVE EFFORT Gaby Lara was a defensive force throughout the marathon match, finishing with an incredible 43 digs, along with three aces and an assist. Her relentless work in the back row helped keep rallies alive and gave El Paso High opportunities to mount its comeback. At the net, Phoebe Duchouquette led the Tigers with 21 kills and added nine digs, while Isabella Griffith contributed 13 kills, four digs and an assist. The setting duties were shared effectively by Bella Del Val and Zoe Strange. Del Val recorded 34 assists, eight digs, two aces and a kill, while Strange finished with 20 assists, seven digs, an ace and a kill. Karizma Ambriz added 14 digs and six aces, while Crystal Gonzalez contributed 17 digs and two aces. Ava Glenn and Emma Rubio each added seven kills, with Glenn also recording a block and Rubio finishing with two blocks. Alex Montes chipped in a kill, two blocks and two digs. A COMEBACK BUILT ON RESILIENCE The difference in the match ultimately wasn't just one statistic — it was El Paso High's ability to respond when the match appeared to be slipping away. Down 0-2, the Tigers won three consecutive sets, including the pressure-packed fifth, to complete one of the night's most dramatic comebacks. Final: El Paso High 3, Del Valle 2 19-25 | 23-25 | 25-20 | 25-16 | 17-15 Del Valle player statistics were not available for this report.