HS Volleyball: District 13-6A Week Four Recap

THE WOODLANDS, TX -- As the district gauntlet continues, programs look to grab their gear and begin climbs towards the top of the standings. While the district's top has remained unchanged since week one, the teams behind Grand Oaks continue to bite and claw for positioning in a tightly contested battle for playoff spots.

The Woodlands vs. College Park

9/12/23

College Park traveled to The Woodlands in a battle to decide who would grab hold of second place in the district.

Both teams battled it out, with the score constantly swinging back and forth. College Park squeaked out wins in the first two sets by seven combined points. The Lady Highlanders captured the momentum in the third set and mounted a massive offensive effort that catapulted them to a 25-16 win that forced a fourth set. College Park would win the final, deciding set 25-21 behind stellar front-row play, providing key blocks in the clutch.

With the head-to-head win secured, College Park now controls their own destiny in district play.

Oak Ridge vs. Cleveland

9/12/23

Cleveland made their way to Oak Ridge to face the Lady War Eagles, who hoped to distance themselves from the middle of the district pack.

The game never came close for the Lady Indians, as Oak Ridge opened the match and immediately went to work. Full-force swings and an oppressive serving game allowed Oak Ridge to stomp Cleveland’s ability to score. At no point during the match did Cleveland finish within 14 points of Oak Ridge, allowing the Lady War Eagles to walk away with a 3-0 victory.

Willis vs. Caney Creek

9/12/23

In a bid to get above .500, the Willis Ladykats hosted the Caney Creek Lady Panthers.

Both teams needed a win if either hoped to climb into a playoff spot, and Willis played with a fighting spirit. A dominant 15-point win in the first set pushed Willis in the right direction by building momentum that they never gave up. Caney Creek continued to fight throughout the match but failed to win a single set.

This match would provide Willis with team-wide momentum that they carried into their match later in the week.

New Caney vs. Grand Oaks

9/12/23

The dominant Grand Oaks Lady Grizzlies faced the New Caney Lady Eagles, who were still searching for their first district win.

Like they had done since district play started, Grand Oaks set to work with ruthless efficiency. The Lady Grizzlies did give up 10 points in the first set, but the sets would never end closer than that. While winning the match three sets to none, Grand Oaks prevented New Caney from scoring double-digit points in the last two sets.

While remaining undefeated in district play, New Caney continued to look for a win.

College Park vs. Oak Ridge

9/15/23

Oak Ridge looked to make a statement on the road against the College Park Lady Cavaliers by fighting tooth and nail for a win.

After a scrappy 25-20 win in the first set, College Park would attempt to distance themselves from their opponents. They did so in the second with a seven-point win, but Oak Ridge kept the Lady Cavs within reach. The final set would come down to the wire as the Lady War Eagles continued to apply pressure. College Park did manage to secure the 3-0 win, but not for a lack of Oak Ridge trying.

After winning their 7th straight match, College Park now sits just ahead of the Woodlands with a tiebreaker if necessary.

Caney Creek vs. The Woodlands

9/15/23

Trying to reclaim second place, the Lady Highlanders traveled to Caney Creek on Friday night.

The Woodlands rolled to a win in the opening set that saw them give up only seven points. The Lady Panthers made adjustments in the next two sets that pushed the Lady Highlanders on their defensive end. Caney Creek remained firmly out of arm’s length in the second set, but things heated up in the third. The Lady Highlanders were pushed to the brink by Caney Creek, but clutch performances from a clutch team sealed the 3-0 victory for the Woodlands.

Grand Oaks vs. Conroe

9/15/23

The torching of 13-6A continued for Grand Oaks with their match against Conroe.

The Lady Tigers found the initial going tough. Due in part to the kills brought on by Grand Oaks, Conroe only managed to put up eight points in the opening set. Coach McCardell made some major adjustments to her team in the second set as they were able to finish within three of the Lady Grizzlies. Grand Oaks did ultimately win the close-set and used their continued momentum to finish strong in the third by winning in double-digit fashion.

Grand Oaks extends its unbeaten streak in the district and now climbs to the fourth-ranked team in the nation.

Cleveland vs. New Caney

9/15/23

Two winless teams squared off in a match where one would get the win that they had been fighting so hard to get.

Both Cleveland and New Caney kept the tension up with an opening set that had to be extended due to the constant ties and the need to win by two points. The Lady Eagles claimed the first set 26-24 but could not keep up the pace in the second. Cleveland bounced back and grabbed the second by four points and hoped to keep the ball rolling to finish out strong. New Caney proved to be too much, however, as the Lady Eagles went on to win the last two sets and get a 3-1 win.

New Caney finally secured their first district win, putting themselves ahead of Cleveland.