VOLLEYBALL: Lady Cavs win first district match in three sets

THE WOODLANDS, Texas - On Friday, September 11, The Woodlands College Park High School Volleyball Team had the home court advantage as they took on Atascocita for their first district game of the season. The Lady Cavaliers continued their win-streak as they defeated the Lady Eagles in three sets: 25-21, 25-9, 25-14.

The Lady Cavs struggled to get into their groove during the first set, as this was the closest game of the three. Atascocita and College Park were neck and neck throughout. Seniors Hannah Erwin, Allicia Bauersfeld and Kennedi Smith get points on the board for the Lady Cavs, but Atascocita fights back and the score is soon tied, 7-7. After a tip over from Erwin and a kill from freshman Audrey Penn, College Park gets back in the lead until the Lady Eagles garner two kills, giving the Atascocita the lead. The Lady Eagles keep their lead after a few errors from both sides, until Smith gets College Park three straight points, putting them back up, 19-18. The Lady Cavs are able to keep their lead for the rest of the set, and after kills from Erwin and sophomore Emily Ross, it is match point for College Park. Atascocita misses a serve by Erwin, giving the Lady Cavs a 25-21 win in the first set.

Set two and three definitely came easier for College Park, as they started to mesh as a team and they soon could not be stopped. The Lady Cavs had an early lead in the second after kills from Erwin, junior Linzy Woods, and Smith. A great play ensued when Erwin set up a kill for Bauersfeld, only showing off the team’s great offense. College Park was quickly up 16-6, looking like a completely different team from the first set. After Woods gets a block and then a kill, along with solid defense from College Park, the Lady Cavs win the second set 25-9, only allowing Atascocita less than half of the points they had in the first set.

The Lady Cavs were still on a roll during the third set, although Atascocita wasn't going to go down without a fight. After Atascocita’s Taylor Smith gets a kill and Taydria Nickerson and Hannah Luce block a College Park kill attempt, the teams are tied up 3-3. This will be the closest the Lady Eagles get to the Lady Cavs for the rest of the set. College Park’s defense only improves in the third set as the team’s momentum increases. Once again, Erwin, Woods and Smith all had great kills, and CC Clausen gets an ace, bringing the College Park lead to 16-6. It is soon match point for the Lady Cavs, and after a kill from Bauersfeld, College Park takes the third set, 25-14, winning their first district match of the season 3-0.

Although head coach Candice Collins knows the team did not play their best in the first set, she was pleased with the overall match.

“You know, I felt like we kind of came out a little slower,” said Collins. “But, I was super impressed with how we picked it up the second and third game. The tempo changed and you could definitely tell. We just have to come out a little bit stronger, but I was happy with the way we played the second game and the third game.”

Winning their first district match, Collins and the team plan on taking the season one day at a time, with a goal to clench win after win.

“Our goal is to take it one step at a time, one match at a time. We accomplished our goal for tonight and so every night is going to be a big night in this district, and we’re going to have to come to play. It was good to be at home and get a good win. Everybody was able to contribute tonight and so I am excited for them. I am excited to get this started, and so it was good for us.”

The Lady Cavs have their next match at home on Tuesday, September 15, as they look to take on the Memorial Mustangs. This game will be live on Woodlands Online.