It’s always hard to tell when momentum is going to shift in your favor�”especially when you’re on the road.

Rio Rico High’s Gladymar Echeverria (6) attempts to block a spike of Nogales High’s Olivia Valencia Tuesday night in Nogales. Rio Rico beat Nogales 25-20, 13-25, 25-14, 25-19.

For the Rio Rico High Lady Hawks, though, that moment came late in the third set of their season opening game Tuesday night against host Nogales High.

Tied at one set apiece, the Lady Hawks put their game into fifth gear and never hit the brakes. The result was a 25-20, 13-25, 25-14, 25-19 victory.

“That’s what we’ve talked about,” said Rio Rico head coach Eddie Rodriguez. “If we stay together as a team, we’re going to be hard to beat. We’re a little bit vertically challenged, so we have to play with a lot of heart.”

That heart came in the form of six kills from Gladymar Echeverria, plus three blocks and aces from Celeste Gastelum. Teammate Bianca Valencia also added four digs.

“It was our first game of the year, and I think it said a lot,” Rodriguez said. “But, Nogales played tough. Their girls were out there battling, too.”

Late in the third set, though, the Lady Apaches had an emotional meltdown that showed on the court.

“I think it was a lot of them getting their spirits down,” said Nogales head coach Tracy Wunderlich. “And once they got down, it was hard to get back up. That’s something that we definitely need to work on. They were tough on themselves.”

The raucous visiting Hawks fans were also tough on them.

“The girls said the crowd wasn’t bothering them, but I could see it a little bit,” Wunderlich said. “Every time they messed up, they heard such a loud, loud cheer against them, so I think it affected them a little bit.”

Despite the crowd, Norma Suarez managed eight assists�”some of which contributed to Karyme Valencia’s six kills. Teammate Olivia Valencia added five kills and four aces, but it wasn’t enough to ground the soaring Hawks.

“We were out of position a little bit, so I think still learning our rotations is a huge thing,” said Wunderlich, who recently moved here from Marana. “They’re learning a brand new rotation that they’ve never done before. I changed (the system) quite a bit, and I know that I’m a lot more strict on the girls. That’s been a huge adjustment, as well.”

Although it was a non-conference battle, with Nogales in 4A-I Kino and Rio Rico in 4A-II Gila, the fight for local bragging rights created a post-season mood in Ray Molera Gymnasium.

“It’s a huge thing down here. I wasn’t even aware that it was going to be like this,” Wunderlich said. “The girls were talking about it all week and were very excited about it, so I know they were very upset that they lost.”

“Even though they’re not in our division, this game means a lot more to the young adults than it really does for points,” added Rodriguez. “But, if you get off to that really good start, and you beat your rival, it could carry momentum throughout the season.”

The Lady Hawks got a chance on Thursday to see how far that momentum could carry them when they traveled to Desert View. The game was played after NI press time. The Lady Apaches also traveled to Sahuarita.

Both teams are slated to host games on Tuesday at 6 p.m.