County rivals Bowie and Nocona faced off on Saturday afternoon in a game that had a lot of stakes for both teams heading into it.
The match lived up to the billing as almost all five sets were nail-biters that could have gone either way, but in the end it was the Lady Rabbits who came out on top 3-2.
Heading into the match, Bowie was coming off of beating a Holliday team at home it had not won against since 2016. The Lady Eagles had previously given the Lady Indians their only loss of district play so far.
With Saturday being the last game of the first round of district, a Nocona win would set up a three-way tie atop the district standings. A Lady Rabbit win would keep them undefeated and at the top.
Both communities filled the Nocona gym despite recovering from the football games the previous nights. The newly appointed Bowie Pep Squad student section brought its usual energy combined with some mix of pajamas and food based costumes.
The Nocona student section was not to be outdone as it always knows when to come out strong with the support with the signs, enthusiasm and trolling chants. Both sections were loud when needed and traded chants back and forth across all five sets.
With all of the buildup and the energy of the environment, the match lived up to it.

The Lady Rabbits came out with the early fire, jumping out to an early 4-1 lead and eventually a 12-8 lead. The Lady Indians battled back and tied the match at 15-15 with their aggressive serves and on the backs of hitters Averee Kleinhans and Ella Nunneley.
However, Bowie regained control with its size at the net and consistent attacks from all over. A little 18-17 lead quickly became a 22-18 lead. From there the Lady Rabbits closed out the set playing even to win 25-21 and take an early lead.
The second set saw Nocona jump out to a 4-1 lead. After an even 20 points played between the two teams, the Lady Indians margin was the same at 14-11.
From there, Nocona got on its best roll of the whole match, winning 11 of the next 15 points thanks to some great serving to win the least contested set of the match 25-15.
With the match tied and the Lady Indians again starting a set up 4-1, it looked like they had the momentum still going from the previous set. Things could have really gone south for Bowie. Instead, the Lady Rabbits bounced back immediately to tie the match 5-5.
The teams swapped little leads until Bowie had a 19-16 lead. Nocona got the lead back within one at the end of the set 23-22, but the Lady Rabbits were able to hold on to win 25-22.
With the Lady Indians needing to win the next set if they wanted a chance win the match, Nocona started the fourth set in a strong way up 6-0. Working from a deficit, Bowie played almost event for the next 20 points as the Lady Indians led 15-10 before the Lady Rabbits made their move.
Bowie worked all the way back to take an 18-17 lead, but Nocona was not just going to lay down. The Lady Indians won four of the next five points to lead 21-19. The Lady Rabbits tied the score at 24-24, looking to close the match out now, but Nocona won the next two points to win the set 26-24 and force a fifth and final set.
Despite winning the set, a tough blow was dealt for the Lady Indians as libero Laramie Hayes went out with some sort of leg injury. If they were going to win the match, it would be without their solid defensive safety net in the back row.
If the fourth set had wild swings, the fifth set, played to 15 making every point that much more important, continued that trend.
The teams traded two points both ways before Bowie won five of the next six points to take a 7-3 lead. After the lead was cut to two, the teams traded a point for a point for the next six as the Lady Rabbits led 11-9.
The Lady Indians then closed the gap and the score was tied at 12-12. Bowie again scored two straight points right when it needed to to go up 14-12 and make it match point.
Nocona stifled off both attempts and the tied the set back up at 14-14. The teams traded the next four points as the set went into extra points and the score tied 16-16. The Lady Rabbits won the next point to make it match point once again at 17-16.
As Bowie served for the match, Nocona received the serve well and set up an attack for Kleinhans. The Lady Rabbits Landra Parr dug the shot well, but it forced libero Taygon Jones to make a good pass for a potential attack. She did behind her to Bowie’s top attacker Aslyn Davis, who tried to hit the ball down the left line.
A Lady Indians’ player blocked the ball, but it ricocheted off of her out of bounds for a point towards the Lady Rabbits, giving them the win 18-16 as they jumped up in down in unison due to joy.

To read the full story, pick up a copy of the mid-week edition of the Bowie News.