Lady Dragons on their way to Sam Houston for regional semi finals

Lady Dragons tied for 5th in State....

Lady Dragons Advance to Regional Finals!

Round Rock's Tommie Wesley and Emily Danks block A&M Consolidated's Karla Gilbert during Region 2 semifinal action Friday night. (Photo by Lorne Marcum)
 

HUNTSVILLE - The Dragons volleyball team advanced to the regional final round of the playoffs by defeating A&M Consolidated 17-25, 25-19, 26-24, 25-16, in a Region II Class 5A regional semifinal match Friday at Sam Houston State University's Johnson Coliseum.

With the sparse Round Rock crowd outnumbered two-to-one by local Tiger fans, set one began with the Dragons falling quickly behind with numerous errors and Consol serving bullets at Round Rock's defense. The Dragons never lead in the game.

"There was a case of the playoff nerves and the Tigers serving very aggressively," said Round Rock coach Diane Watson of the Game 1 effort. "The Tigers did a great job of attacking early."

The Dragons found themselves backed into a corner once again in the second game before evening the score at six with three consecutive points, including a kill and two aces. Round Rock took control of the set and increased its lead to 14-9 with Dragon Christina Marcum finding the open middle of the Tigers court for a kill. Tigers' middle blocker Karla Gilbert would pull her team within two points at 14-12 before Round Rock regained momentum and control to tie the match at one set apiece with a victory.

The third game was the pivotal set. Round Rock took the lead 10-8 as Michelle Miller set Emily Danks on the right as she slammed the ball down the line. Consol fought back continuously and tied the match 13 different times. Lauren Gray and Whitney Nielsen combined for a much-needed block on the Tigers' attack to swing momentum back towards the Dragons. With set point for the Dragons, the Tigers clawed their way back into the set with Shelby Dickson splitting the Dragons' defense for a spike. A Round Rock error allowed the score to be tied 24-24, before the Dragons' Rachel Taylor ripped a spike down the left line for a point followed by a Tigers' error to give Round Rock the game.

Round Rock lead 10-7 before Consol took its first time out in Game 4. Numerous errors allowed the Dragons to keep rolling before Trisha Langley slammed the set from Miller cross-court finding the defenders out of position. On a scorching ace from Miller the Dragons' lead increased to 10. Langley would close out the game with a spike.

"You have to play hard and want to win and balance that with composure and show no frustration," said Watson following the match.

Round Rock will next play in the Regional finals Saturday at 6 p.m. at Johnson Coliseum against the winner of a semifinal match between Lake Highlands and Cy-Woods

Lady Dragons celebrate a close victory Tuesday night over the Cy-Fall Eagles photo Txsportspix.com

Round Rock survives first round of the 2008 playoffs.

by Lorne Marcum

The Round Rock Field house was packed with loud fired up Lady Dragon fans and the Cy-Fall Eagles were looking for an upset. With the first round of playoffs underway the Dragons fed off the energy of the enormous crowd to survive the Eagles attack 23-25, 25-20, 25-22, 23-25 and 15-13. This was the largest home crowd I have ever seen attend a volleyball match in the field house.

Both teams started the match like two prize fighters throwing jabs at their opponent trying to find a weakness the Dragons and Eagles answered each attack back and forth until the Dragons found themselves with a lead in the set at 18-15 before Cy Falls called timeout. Eagles Jazmine Green ripped a kill immediately after the time out before Dragons Whitney Neilsen served up and ace followed by Tommie Wesley and Michelle Miller blocking the attack of junior setter Kendal Courtney for the Eagles as the Dragons now led 21-17. After numerous Round Rock errors the Dragon saw their lead diminish to one before Eagles OH Kendall Cleveland ripped back to back kills and Courtney dumped the ball to the middle of the Dragon court to win the first set 23-25. 

Round Rock jumped out to an early lead in set two led by the powerful kills of Emily Danks. The Dragons led by as many as 6 before Cy Falls called timeout. Eagles Cleveland answered the Dragons with 3 consecutive kills followed by back to back errors of the Dragon before Coach Watson called time out to regroup her team.  Danks and Brittani Slimp shut down the attacking Cleveland with a monster block at 14-11 before Slimp closed out the set by hammering the overpass from the Eagles defense for a kill.

Set three was never out of reach for either team. The biggest lead in the set was immediately following a Rachel Taylor kill from the outside as the Dragons led 12-9. Cy Falls was able to tie the match behind the spectacular play of Green at 20-20. Trisha Langley ripped a pair of aces before a Cy Falls error handed the set to the Dragons 25-22.

Down two sets to one the Eagles refused to leave Round Rock early. The score in set 3 was tied 13 different times before the Eagles took the lead for good following a pair of Round Rock errors. Green for the Eagles would close the set 23-25 forcing a set 5.

It was now win or go home for both teams. A short set to 15, no time to give up points to your opponent, no room for mistakes. The Cy Falls Eagles quickly led the mighty Dragons 6-10 before Round Rock began clawing their way back into the final set. The Dragons finally took the lead 11-10 as Langley passed the back line of the Eagle court with her serve for an ace. Cleveland tied the score with a powerful kill through the Dragon defense. Slimp and Danks for Round Rock would stop the powerful attack of Cleveland one last time as the Dragons now led 14-12. A missed serve by Round Rock gave Cy Falls an opportunity to tie. With a quick pass to Miller, she found Danks flying in from the right side, flipped the set over her head as Danks crushed the ball at the Eagle defense. The pass bounced off the defenders arms into the rafters to ricochet back onto the Eagles court giving the Dragon the final and deciding set 15-13. The court was immediately flooded with chanting and cheering students to join the team in celebration

Cy Falls coach Kathy Stephenson commented that “this was the best match we had played all season. We knew it would be difficult and had come to Round Rock with the mindset that we would play to win from beginning to end. This was one amazing match.”

A teary eyed Eagle, Kendall Courtney remarked that “This match with Round Rock made us a better team. I hope Round Rock wins state and this was the greatest match of the season.”

An exhausted but smiling Round Rock Coach Diane Watson said “This match was the best thing that could have happened to us. It had been 3 weeks since we had been tested and this will help us refocus and work harder to be successful.”