The district season is just a week away.

Knowing what’s coming, the Permian volleyball team hosted a pair of tough challenges in a dual Saturday at the Permian Fieldhouse.

Permian fell to the defending Class 5A state champions at Amarillo High 25-19, 25-11, 25-14 before dropping a four-set loss to El Paso Franklin 21-25, 25-13, 25-19, 25-18.

“It’s a process,” Permian head coach Gillian Herrera said.

After Saturday, the Lady Panthers have one more nondistrict match left on the schedule — at Fort Stockton on Tuesday — before league play opens next weekend at San Angelo Central.

Permian fell to 15-9 on the season Saturday — but Herrera enjoyed her team’s opportunity to test itself against powerful programs.

Amarillo High went 43-6 last season on its way to a state title.

Saturday, despite the losses, Herrera said she saw her Lady Panthers put into action some things they worked on in practice this week.

“We definitely did a much better job blocking today,” Herrera said. “I felt like our block was on. And I felt like, offensively, we sped it up and we were able to get the ball to all six hitters.

“I think they played really well,” she said of her players. “We just can’t do 19, 18 points against good teams like that. We’ve got to push and get to 25 first.”

In that second match Franklin, Tristiana Abila led the Lady Panthers with 11 kills, while Allison Hetherington added 10 and Hallie Silvas put down another nine.

During that one, Permian jumped out to a 20-10 lead in the first set before hanging on. Franklin bounced back to win the second, then in the seemingly decisive third set, Franklin staved off a Permian challenge when the Lady Panthers cut a 21-16 lead to 22-19, ultimately winning that third set in cruising to finish things off the in fourth.

 “It’s awesome that both those teams come here every year,” Herrera said. “They’re two great, reputable programs.

“You always wonder how your kids will respond, and I think they came out and played aggressive, and served aggressively, but we just came up a little short.”
