Olivia Arredondo remembers being a spectator to the rivalry when it was at its apex. She recalls being amazed by the jam-packed crowds and ebb and flow of momentum during the matches.

Back then, Antonian and Incarnate Word were annually bona fide TAPPS state-championship contenders. During one four-year span, Antonian won state titles in 2009 and 2010 and advanced to the state semifinals in 2008 and 2011. Incarnate Word, meanwhile, was a state finalist in 2008 and 2011 and reached the state semifinals in 2009 and 2010.

Plenty has changed in the aftermath. The intensity hasn’t.

With first place in TAPPS 3-6A on the line, the Apaches swept Incarnate Word 25-20, 25-18, 25-18 Tuesday before a boisterous crowd at the University of Incarnate Word’s McDermott Center.

It was Antonian’s 11th straight win over the Shamrocks and 15th in the past 16 matches dating back to the 2014 season. The Apaches, with the win, moved a step closer to winning the league crown. They were second to San Antonio Christian a year ago.

“There’s a lot of pressure when there’s a big crowd,” Arredondo said. “You just have to focus and play our game, which we did.”

The Apaches (38-7 overall, 4-0 in district) stepped up in the crucial moments, overcoming a slow start in the first set and riding spurts to pull away whenever Incarnate Word (24-9, 2-2) drew close in the final two frames.

In the third set, Incarnate Word trimmed an early six-point deficit to 17-15. Antonian sophomore outside hitter Kalina Calvillo had a kill to spark an 8-3 run to close out the match. Calvillo finished with a match-high 13 kills, while Arredondo tallied 35 assists and libero Jenna Rodriguez totaled 16 digs and two aces.

The Apaches’ Sujeili Marmella had two aces and a kill to jump-start a 7-1 spurt that grew Antonian’s advantage from 12-10 to 19-11 in the second frame.

“I do that every game, but it definitely comes out a lot more when I play the rival match,” said Marmella, who had eight kills, 12 digs and four aces, after her team extended its winning streak to eight.

With Lauren Zacho (12 kills), Giana Hilliard (seven kills, 11 digs and two blocks) and libero Devin Henry (13 digs) leading the way, Incarnate Word jumped to an early 4-1 margin in the opening frame. But Calvillo had two kills and Rodriguez tallied two aces as the Apaches put together a 7-0 run to take command.

“There were some balls where we had trouble, but for the most part we picked it up and played as a team, which really helped us,” Arredondo said.

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