For nearly a month, Cooper coach Courtney Pesterfield has been delivering the same message to her volleyball players: win six more matches, and you’ll make program history.

Five down, one to go.

The Lady Pirates (24-13), who have reached the Region I-3A quarterfinals for the third time in four years, are one step away from finally reaching the fourth round. All they’ve got to do is beat Abilene Wylie (35-7) at 7 p.m. today in Snyder.

“We’ve been telling our kids for a long time, after we played Dalhart (on Oct. 17), we kept saying six more games and we’ll get to the regional tournament,” Pesterfield said. “We’ve won five in a row now, so it’s this last one we’re putting all our stock into.”

The Lady Pirates won’t have to contend with second-ranked Monahans, which eliminated them in each of the last three postseasons, but Wylie is no slouch. Pesterfield said her team has to “really be on our ‘A’ game” to compete with the Lady Bulldogs, who won the District 2-3A championship and are ranked 10th in the latest Texas Girls Coaches Association poll.

Cooper has been just as solid, though. Hitters Ruby Johnson and Brittany Ruble lead a balanced attack, and the Lady Pirates racked up 17 service aces in their area-round win over Clint on Friday.

“I’m hoping if we can get at least 10 aces (today),” Pesterfield said, “we can take them out of their game and maybe get them to second-guess themselves.”

Johnson said the Lady Pirates have steadily improved during their winning streak but still haven’t peaked, so she’s hoping the team takes another step forward today.

It’s a step Cooper has been yearning to take since the middle of October.

“It’ll be a great honor, for one thing,” Johnson said of reaching the regional tournament, which will be held Friday and Saturday in Levelland. “It’s never happened before, so just being able to say, ‘Hey, we were the first ones that did it,’ is going to be really awesome.

“We’re going to have to definitely bring all we have to the court and leave everything we have on the court. No regrets, just all out.”

• Class 2A, Shallowater (21-17) vs. Alpine (32-7), 6:30 p.m. today, Odessa Permian HS: Just like Cooper, Shallowater also is hoping to make program history today. The Fillies are back in the regional quarterfinals for the first time since 2006, and they’ve never been past that point.

Shallowater coach Amy Mangum said advancing to the next round “would mean a lot” to seniors Brittney Scaff and Taylor Wilson, who have been the team’s leading players this season.

“The girls are really ready to go,” Mangum said. “That’s been our goal all year is to get to regionals and take it from there.”

To get there, Mangum said the Fillies must continue to play well offensively and be more consistent with their serve receive, especially because serving is one of Alpine’s strengths.

They also must turn the tables on the Lady Bucks, who eliminated Shallowater in last year’s bi-district round.

“We’ve got that in the back of our minds that they were ones that knocked us out last year,” Mangum said. “Hopefully we can go in and get a win this year.”

• Class 2A, Denver City (30-6) vs. No. 1 Bushland (28-11), 6 p.m. today, Estacado HS: It would be understandable if Denver City was a little apprehensive about facing Bushland, the two-time defending state champion.

But Fillies head coach Megan David said her team has been anxiously awaiting another crack at the Lady Falcons, who eliminated Denver City in two of the last three seasons.

“We hoped all year we’d have a chance to meet them, because that means you made it to wherever you’re shooting for,” said David, whose Fillies are trying to reach the regional tournament for first time since 2006. “We’re excited about it. It’ll be a good match.”

David said Bushland’s quick offense and sound overall play will present some challenges to her team, but she’s confident her Fillies can handle them. Breeann David and Shahala Hawkins give Denver City a fearsome attack of its own.

“We have a great block, and we have strong hitters,” Megan David said. “If we’ll play our game, we have a shot.”

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REGION I QUARTERFINALS

CLASS 5A

Arlington Lamar (W4, 32-9) vs. Amarillo (W2, 43-3), 5 p.m. today, Vernon HS

Coppell (T6, 34-10) vs. Lewisville Hebron (W6, 36-10), 7 p.m. today, Grapevine HS

Tascosa (R2, 25-9) vs. El Paso Coronado (W1, 34-9), 6 p.m. today, Seminole HS

Flower Mound Marcus def. Southlake Carroll, 25-23, 18-25, 25-22, 25-20

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CLASS 4A

Canyon (F3, 25-10) vs. Hereford (R3, 36-6), 7:30 p.m. today, First Bank United Center, Canyon

Mansfield Legacy (W8, 27-12) vs. North Richland Hills Birdville (W6, 31-9), 6:30 p.m. today, South Grand Prairie HS

Randall (W3, 37-1) vs. Dumas (T3, 26-15), 6 p.m. today, First Bank United Center, Canyon

Granbury (F8, 26-20) vs. Denton Ryan (W5, 35-5), 7:30 p.m. today, Aledo HS

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CLASS 3A

Cooper (R1, 24-13) vs. Abilene Wylie (W2, 35-7), 7 p.m. today, Snyder HS

Liberty Hill (W8, 23-14) vs. Llano (T8, 25-13), 7:30 p.m. today, Marble Falls HS

Monahans (W3, 37-5) vs. Dalhart (W1, 30-11), 7:30 p.m. today, Estacado HS

Gatesville (W7) vs. Burnet (R8, 21-14), 7 p.m. today, Lampasas HS

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CLASS 2A

Alpine (W4, 32-7) vs. Shallowater (R3, 21-17), 6:30 p.m. today, Odessa Permian HS

Henrietta (R5, 27-8) vs. Peaster (W6), 8 p.m. today, Jacksboro HS

Denver City (W3, 30-6) vs. Bushland (W1, 28-11), 6 p.m. today, Estacado HS

Nocona def. Paradise, scores unavailable

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CLASS 1A

Bronte (W4) vs. Sterling City (T4, 23-18), 6:30 p.m. today, San Angelo Lake View HS

Archer City def. Fort Elliott, 20-25, 25-13, 25-15, 25-18

Wink (W3, 31-11) vs. Fort Hancock (W1, 18-8), 7 p.m. today, Fort Stockton HS

Windthorst (W7, 26-14) vs. Petrolia (T7, 15-17), 7 p.m. today, Bowie HS