Oak Ridge joins The Woodlands as tourney unbeatens

MAGNOLIA, Texas – The Oak Ridge High School volleyball team opened the Magnolia Volley-Battle 2013 on Thursday with a sweep of its three pool play opponents.

The Lady War Eagles joined The Woodlands High School volleyball team, both going 3-0 to start the tournament, which continues through Saturday at Magnolia High School.

Both teams will play three more matches on Friday in hopes of qualifying for the championship bracket. Those matches will be played on Saturday with the finals set for 3:30 p.m.

Oak Ridge faces Conroe at 10 a.m. Friday before taking on Lumberton at noon and then hosts Magnolia at 2 p.m.

The Woodlands meets Klein Collins at 9 a.m. preceding matches with Willis at 11 a.m. and Cy-Ranch at 2 p.m.

The No. 1 state-ranked Lady Highlanders swept Lumberton (25-16, 25-17), Atascocita (25-1, 25-6) and Summer Creek (25-12, 25-12) in order on Thursday to remain undefeated for the season.

“We started off pretty slow this morning,” Lady Highlanders head volleyball coach Leslie Madison said. “I was very pleased with how we picked it up in our second and third match.”

Oak Ridge improved to 9-3 on Thursday by sweeping Hutto 25-16, 25-13, Willis 25-22, 25-18, and District 14-5A foe Bryan 25-13, 25-12, in order.

“It’s going really great right now, Oak Ridge head volleyball coach Tommie Sledge said. “Our only struggles at this point is when we choose to have lack of communication, we don’t do so well – imagine that.

“Other than that we’re really stepping up. We have lots of versatility.”

It’s a veteran group that looks to rise to the top of the district.

“My expectations are really high,” Sledge said.

Senior setter/defensive specialist Whitney Wofford (UT Permian Basin) and junior Victoria Harris (verbal commit to Cincinnati) are among the leaders. Harris is one of five juniors on the squad this season. Nikki Testerman (OH/M) and Jackie Ward (S) are also among that talented group.

Freshmen Raigen Cianciulli, a 5-11 outside and middle, and Brooke Clark, a 5-11 outside hitter, are making an immediate impact as well.

Sledge said that playing in tournaments like the Magnolia Volley-Battle 2013 affords her the opportunity to try different combinations with her versatile team.

“Almost every hitter on my bench can play all three front row positions,” she said. “And then I have a variety of defensive players.”

So finding out what works best together is the objective this weekend and for the remainder of the pre-district schedule.

“I’ve tried lots of different rotations,” Sledge said.