Lady Cards ready for big tangle with China Springs

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Lady Cards ready for big tangle with China Springs

Gabriel Pruett

The Orange Leader

BRIDGE CITY — The first initial shock of reaching the Class 3A Region III Regional Tournament has worn off for the Bridge City Lady Cardinals.

Now the Lady Cardinals are preparing to face the China Spring Lady Cougars at 8 p.m. tonight at Bryan High School in the regional semi-finals.

Bridge City reached the regional tournament with a five-game victory over the Bellville Brahmanettes while China Spring took out Taylor in five.

The Lady Cardinals (25-13) have been on a string of five-game victories dating back to when Bridge City downed Silsbee in a tiebreaker for first place in District 21-3A.

In the area round it also took five games for the Lady Cardinals to oust La Grange.

China Spring (34-5) defeated Fairfield in four games in the area round. This is the third straight trip to the regional tournament for the Lady Cougars.

The Lady Cardinals were all business Thursday at practice and Coach Becca Mathews knows her team is ready to get into Bryan and get the game going.

“They are so excited about everything,†Mathews said. “It is all they talk about. The girls have not asked a question about China Spring, they just want to play.â€

One of the main reasons of the excitment Mathews said is how well the Lady Cardinals are starting to play.

“They get excited every match because they amaze themselves,†Mathews added. “We have went into matches not knowing we can do and then gaining confidences when we start to play. It is like they say ‘Let’s see what we can improve on today and who else we can shock.’â€

Freshman Marlee Lopez is thrilled to be making the regional tournament in just her first year on the varsity level.

“It is awesome,†Lopez said. “It feels great to be in the regional tournament as a freshman. I really never thought we would go this far at the start of the seaosn. I love my teammates for this.â€

The teammates Lopez speaks of all start with seniors Audrey Myers, Kayla Fullerton and sisters Jenna and Lauren Angelle.

Add in Sarah Armand, Mallory Guidry, Emily Kosh, Sam West and Amy Caillouet and the Lady Cardinals are full of playmakers.

“I cannot guarantee a win but whoever we play — it will not be easy,†Mathews said. “They will have to play hard. Of course we want to go up there and win and at the same time it is easier to live with yourself if you play your hardest and lose.

“I’m always so proud of this team. I really don’t think I can find any more room in me to be more proud.â€

Lopez is just as proud as her coach is and is ready to take on the Lady Cougars.

“I am expecting us to get up there and win,†Lopez said. “These last two games were so exciting. Bellville was the most exciting game I have ever been in. Now we are going to go to Bryan and play our hardest and see what happens.â€

The winner of tonight’s game will face the winner of Hutto and Columbus at 2 p.m. Saturday at Bryan High School.

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Good luck Lady Cards!  We are proud of you!