The Centennial Coyotes beat the Cienega Bobcats in three straight sets, 25-23, 25-18, and 25-20, in the first round of the state tournament on Tuesday.

The two teams had not met since last year's playoffs. Centennial was ranked seventh in the tournament bracket, while Cienega was placed at number 10. Both had respectable records coming into the match, the Coyotes being 19-11 and the Bobcats being 27-10.

Centennial coach Cari Bauer and her team prepared for this game like any other.

"We didn't know a lot about them," Bauer said. "We focused on us and then made some adjustments."

All three games proved to be evenly matched, with the biggest rally coming near the beginning of the first match when Centennial scored seven unanswered points.

In a game that's so back-and-forth, Bauer said her team focused on one thing--talking.

"We had some communication breakdowns," Bauer said. "This late in the season, you can't lose points because you didn't make a call."

When it comes to staying positive through these long games, Bauer said she can thank her bench. 

"Our bench is crucial for our energy," she said.

Junior Ashley Lifgren, who led the Coyotes with 349 kills this season, explained how important communication can be.

"The key for us is if we're passing the ball, nobody can stop us," Lifgren said.

During huddles and timeouts, Bauer gave the team helpful advice.

"Stay confident," Lifgren said. "We were all fired up when we just needed to relax. Bauer gave us certain tips on where to hit, too. She was watching and helping us out."

The Coyotes play in the quarterfinals of the state tournament at 6:30 p.m. on Thursday against Millenium High School at Millenium.