There are no guarantees for the Denver City volleyball team, which figures to face even tougher competition from here on out.

But the Fillies’ path to San Marcos — and toward their first state championship, for that matter — got much smoother Tuesday night.

Denver City's Nikki Carter digs up a ball from Bushland Tuesday night at Estacado High School. (John A. Bowersmith/Lubbock Avalanche-Journal)

Displaying a powerful attack and the poise of a title contender, Denver City knocked off top-ranked Bushland, the two-time defending state champion, 13-25, 26-24, 25-20, 25-22 in a thrilling Region I-2A quarterfinal at the Estacado gym.

“I know we have a shot,” said Denver City head coach Megan David, whose Fillies (31-6) are headed to this weekend’s regional tournament in Abilene for the first time since 2006. “With the hitters that we have, if we can pass the ball and play better defense, I know we have a shot at a state championship.”

Those hitters, junior Breeann David and sophomore Shahala Hawkins, were downright dominant against the Lady Falcons (28-12). David, the head coach’s daughter, racked up a match-high 22 kills, while Hawkins added 15.

Denver City's Alexis Summers digs up a ball from Bushland Tuesday night at Estacado High School. (John A. Bowersmith/Lubbock Avalanche-Journal)

Nine of David’s kills came in the second set, when Denver City evened the match and stole the momentum with a narrow victory, and Hawkins had six in the clinching set. The 5-foot-11 middle blockers and setters also combined for 33 assists, 51/2 blocks and five service aces, and David added a match-high 17 digs defensively.

“Both are really good hitters, and (David), she’s pretty dominating,” said first-year Bushland head coach Clark Inskeep, whose team had eliminated the Fillies in two of the last three postseasons and was 3-0 against them overall. “She jumps high, she comes in and she rips it, and she can hit it anywhere. Your block’s got to be really good to stop her, and if you don’t, it makes it pretty tough on your back row because it comes over really fast.”

Megan David, who said the win ranked “right up there at the top” for herself and the program, also credited the contributions of seniors Alexis Summers and Destiny Rosemond. She said Summers helped the Fillies calm down after their shaky start, and Rosemond had all three of her kills in the final two sets.

Denver City's Breeann David (CQ) celebrates a point which put Denver City in the lead over Bushland in the third game Tuesday night at Estacado High School. (John A. Bowersmith/Lubbock Avalanche-Journal)

Denver City also got a combined 15 digs from back-row players Marisa Parra and Brittani Weir.

“It was a team effort,” Megan David said. “They just came in today refusing to lose.”

Bushland got eight kills apiece from Katie Gillmore and Kenzie Walden, and seven each from Madyson McKean and Lyz Moak, and Sharisa Stoddard supplied a match-high 29 assists. Kaitlyn Patterson made 12 digs for the Lady Falcons and also recorded four of their 12 aces.

But the Lady Falcons couldn’t contain Breeann David and Hawkins, and they couldn’t build on their fast start. After Bushland won 15 of the last 17 points in a lopsided opening set, Denver City stormed back from a six-point deficit to win a tight second set.

The Fillies used a six-point run to take control of the third set, and they never trailed in the fourth and final set.

Now the Fillies will prepare for a regional semifinal against No. 5 Nocona (35-3), which will be held Friday at Abilene Christian University, and they’re just two wins away from reaching the UIL state tournament in San Marcos for the first time since 2004.

“We wanted it really bad,” Breeann David said. “Bushland’s the defending state champion, and we hadn’t beat them ever. We’ve worked really hard for this, and it feels great.”

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