Think of extra innings in a baseball game, or overtime in football and basketball. Similar to those tense scenarios, Ellison and Harker Heights needed a fifth-and-final set to decide Tuesday night’s all-Killeen ISD non-district volleyball match.
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n front of a boisterous crowd at Eagle Gym –– enhanced, of course, by the raucous chants and cheers from two groups of sub-varsity players –– the Lady Eagles and Lady Knights traded big points and set victories to a 2-all tie that required the first-to-15 fifth set.
In line with how the rest of the match evolved, the fifth set was close to the end but Ellison held serve on its home court and notched the 25-11, 24-26, 16-25, 25-17, 15-11.
Aaliyah Dixon had a team-high four aces, Nasya McGinnis landed eight kills and Mileyana Hopkins collected eight blocks to lead the Lady Knights.
Shoemaker, Chaparral and Killeen also were in action Tuesday.
The Lady Grey Wolves locked up a three-set sweep of visiting Granger 25-15, 25-21, 25-18. Kadence Taylor had 23 digs, Janeen Lashley-Hill posted seven kills and nine blocks, Alaya Exford chipped in five kills and 11 assists, and Bre Freeman had eight assists and seven digs for Shoemaker.
The Lady Bobcats went on the road and returned with a 25-16, 25-27, 25-18, 25-14 victory over Georgetown East View, and Belton defeated the Lady Roos 25-12, 25-10, 25-11.
Alondra Rosario came away with 20 digs, Mikayla Gray and Kemani Washington reached double-digit kills with 12 and 10, respectively, and Aryanna Gonzalez offered up 21 assists for Chaparral.
After spending the first three weekends of the season competing in tournaments across the state, a more conventional slate of non-district matches lies ahead for the five schools as they continue their prep for district action.
On Friday, Chaparral is at Kyle Lehman, Ellison goes to Copperas Cove, Shoemaker hosts Marlin and Killeen hosts Waco Connally.
District 12-6A (Shoemaker, Killeen, Harker Heights) matches begin Sept. 13. District 16-5A (Ellison, Chaparral) starts Sept. 27.
More volleyball photos can be viewed here: https://flic.kr/s/aHBqjBE9oP
