Back to back state tournament appearances for Lady Highlander volleyball

HUNTSVILLE, Texas - The Woodlands Lady Highander (38-3) volleyball team will be heading to the Texas UIL-6A State Championship in Garland next weekend for the second year in a row, after a complete team effort in defeating a more than game and talented Richardson-Pearce (29-8) squad, 3-1 (21-25, 25-16, 25-23, 25-21), Saturday night at the Bernard G. Johnson Coliseum on the campus of Sam Houston State University. The victory was also the second year in a row The Woodlands reached the Region ll-6A (5A in 2013) throne room.

In yet another inauspicious beginning for the Lady Highlanders, they were slow in getting out of the gate and it finally caught up with them as Richardson-Pearce took full advantage and threw a scare into the Highlander juggernaut faithful by capturing the first set. The tested tough Lady Highlanders finally disengaged the snooze button and woke up in time to take the last three sets from Florida State bound right side hitter, Brianne Burker,t and her outstanding Lady Maverick teammates.

Pearce took the lead for good in the first set at 18-17 when senior outside hitter, Chanel Cooper landed a kill past the outstretched arms of Julia Pasch. Shortly thereafter, the Lady Highlanders were called for a net violation and Coach Leslie Madison had seen enough, calling a rare time-out to try and right the ship.

After the break, Rachel Reed came through with one of her rock-the-house slams to bring the lady Highlanders to within two at 22-20. Reed's effort was all for naught as The Woodlands lost the next point on four touches. Burkert closed things out by herself with two resounding kills, and Pearce had earned the all important early one set lead.

The first intermission Coach Madison chat did not fall on deaf ears as the Lady Highlanders jumped on Pearce as Reed figured in all of The Woodlands first three points on a dump and two kills. Kendall Cook followed with a block that brought Lady Mustangs coach, Jennifer Nance out of her seat gesturing the "T" sign in an effort to rally her troops.

Pearce was back on their game after the T/O, and eventually tied things up at seven after a failed Woodlands dump and two more Burkert lefty blasts. Courtney Quinn and Hannah Hickman were having none of it as they figured into the next six Woodlands points on the strength of three digs and three dumps. Pearce seemed to be coming apart at the seams as a backcourt miscommunication gave the Lady Highlanders a commanding 19-11 lead. Pearce would not get closer than seven points the remainder of the set as a Cook kill, followed by two more Hickman kills, closed out the set as The Woodlands evened the match up.

Set three brought the best both teams had to offer. In a see-saw battle. Pearce found some breathing room and went up 18-14, after Brenna Holley and Mimi Richards rained down two kills on The Woodlands. Coach Madison was at it again calling a T/O for the third time in the match, which might be a record for the coach.

Madison's words must have been more than prophetic as the Lady Highlanders completely changed the complexion of the game in taking their first lead (22-21) since earlier in the set. Colby Quinn then served a timely ace. Reed and Cook then combined for a block. A Pearce dump gone wrong clinched the set for The Woodlands to the delight of the student section located directly behind the Lady Highlanders.

The Woodlands jumped on the Lady Mustangs early in the fourth set with Reed and Courtney Quinn jacking two quick kills apiece. Pasch then tallied a block and dump. Hickman then slammed one home on a sick set from Cook, and before you looked up it was 14-6.

The onslaught did nothing to deter the Lady Mustangs as they showed just how much mettle they had left in racing back to within two at 13-15. The Woodlands stepped on the gas once again with a Pasch/Bella Pinton block and two uncharacteristic errant would-be kills from Burkert. The gritty senior got it back together with two successful slams, and after an Anya Bezprozvanny dump, the Lady Mustangs were within one at 21-22.

The Pearce glory was short lived as Cook set up three more teammates for kills, and The Woodlands was I-45 bound en route to the Final Four.

Cook collected 40 assists, 25 digs, three blocks and three kills. Rachel Reed had 21 kills three and a half blocks, two digs and an ace. Courtney Quinn had another double-double with 25 digs and 13 kills. Julia Pasch continues to excel with 16 digs, five kills, three and a half blocks and an ace. Hailey Reier (AKA The Janitor) swept the floor for 10 digs, earned an ace, and scored perfect serving for the evening. Hickman filled the stat sheet once again with 10 kills, two blocks, a dig and an ace. Bella Pinton had three digs and two kills and split a block. Cody Lee had three digs and two assists.

The younger Quinn (Colby) came through with 13 digs, an assist and perfect serving, to help her become the third Quinn (Kelly and Courtney) to punch her ticket to "The Show". After the match, Courtney talked about how much she wanted her sister to be able to experience the state championship atmosphere.

"Last year I went with my older sister [Kelly], and this year I get to go with my younger sister. I’m just so glad that she [Colby] gets to have this experience too, and that we get to experience this together. Going to state is definitely one of my favorite memories, so I’m hoping that it will be one of hers,” said Courtney Quinn.

Coach Madison expressed her jubilation in regards to what will be her third trip to the state championship.

“A new team, that was our theme this year. We always have a theme and this year it was ‘new team, same dream,’ said coach Madison. "The kids that were a part of the team last year wanted to get back so bad, especially for our new players. I’m just really in awe. It’s all pretty surreal.”

Burkert led Pearce with 17 kills, 24 assists and 14 digs. Kendall Goss finished with 13 kills and 19 assists. Cooper had seven kills. Lauren Miller had 24 assists and Lexi Durant led the coliseum with 31 digs.

The Woodlands will meet the San Antonio Churchill Chargers (39-7) at 7pm on Friday, November 21 in the second semi final. The Amarillo Sandies (43-6) and the Clear Falls Knights (32-10) from League City, Texas will play at 5pm. The final will be on Saturday, November 22, at 7 pm. All three matches will be held at the Curtis Culwell Center located in Garland, Texas.