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THE PINNACLE: 2025 UIL Volleyball State Finals Preview -- Southlake Carroll vs. Austin (6A-D2)
WHERE: Curtis Culwell Center -- Garland, TX
CLICK HERE TO VIEW THE UIL VOLLEYBALL STATE CHAMPIONSHIPS BRACKETS/RESULTS
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Few teams have been quite as captivating as Southlake Carroll in 2025.
Refined by a daunting district slate featuring Byron Nelson and Keller — the former of which will be competing in the 6A-DI Final — the Dragons have weathered this postseason storm with remarkable composure. Even more impressive is the fact that they’ve done so while sweeping every opponent in their path, most recently overpowering a red-hot Tomball squad last Saturday.
Suffice it to say, Southlake Carroll (34–5) has more than earned its place in this week’s championship. Under third-year coach Leslie Jackson, this moment represents the program’s first trip to the UIL State Final since 1998 — and only its third State Tournament berth overall, the last coming in 2013.
The primary weapon for Jackson’s senior-laden roster is undoubtedly Layla Austin. Dominating from the pin, Austin (a San Diego State-signee) has remarkably compiled the same number of kills and digs — 468 apiece — leading the Dragons in both categories.
Joining her in the front row are TCU-bound middle Kinsley Young and fellow senior outside hitter Teddy-Raye Ewers (Incarnate Word). Young, the defending 4-6A Blocker of the Year, has stacked well over 300 kills and 100 blocks this fall, while Ewers has contributed an additional 241 kills and 255 digs.
Carroll is just as disciplined on the back line, anchored by veterans such as DS Lauren St. Charles (Trinity), who has collected more than 400 digs, and setter Emma Eyster (Oklahoma Christian), whose near-700 assists have orchestrated the attack. Freshman Mariel Elizondo is also expected to play a pivotal role as she approaches the 500-assist mark in her debut season.
The Austin Maroons pose following their 3-2 win against Tompkins in the 6A-D2 State SemisMatthew Ogle (VYPE)
Where Southlake Carroll’s run has been defined by sheer force, Austin’s journey has been shaped by a battle of wills. That contrast came into sharp focus last Saturday at Houston ISD’s Delmar Fieldhouse, when the Maroons rallied from a 2–0 deficit against Tompkins to complete a dramatic reverse sweep.
That kind of resilience in the season’s most critical moments speaks volumes about the mentality head coach Kiley Woods and her staff have instilled in the program’s DNA. Moreover, it now gives Austin (41–6) an opportunity to pursue its second State crown, pairing with the 5A title the school captured in 1992.
It’s no secret who the stars of the show are. USC-bound senior Riley Malloy has been virtually unstoppable throughout her decorated career. Standing 6-foot-5, Malloy blends size, intensity, and intuition — plus a wicked serve — and it’s no surprise she’s amassed well over 500 kills, 500 receptions, and 300 digs this fall.
Alongside her is junior middle Camille Presley, a Texas commit, who has supplied 244 kills and a team-leading 102 blocks. Arkansas signee Maggie McCarroll (Sr., S/RS) adds another dimension entirely, proving she can do it all with 702 assists and 272 kills to her name.
Defensively, the Maroons are just as sensational. When opponents struggle to land clean swings, junior libero Laven Blumoff — a Denver commit — is usually the reason, having registered 420 digs in 2025. Another vital presence is junior setter Nora Bettis, an understated offensive orchestrator with more than 500 assists.
By night’s end, either Southlake Carroll or Austin will finally grasp a championship that’s eluded both for decades. And given the contrast in their journeys — one forged through dominance, the other in defiant resilience — the title will soon belong to whichever side best channels the qualities that brought them this far.
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CLICK HERE TO VIEW THE UIL VOLLEYBALL STATE CHAMPIONSHIPS BRACKETS/RESULTS
THE PINNACLE: 2025 UIL Volleyball State Finals Preview -- Highland Park vs. A&M Consolidated (5A-D1)
WHERE: Curtis Culwell Center -- Garland, TX
CLICK HERE TO VIEW THE UIL VOLLEYBALL STATE CHAMPIONSHIPS BRACKETS/RESULTS
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For Highland Park (42–8), the path back to this stage has been paved with a bit of poetic justice. Head coach Michael Dearman and company have strung together 20 straight wins on their impeccable journey to the title game — including a particularly meaningful one.
In last week’s Region II Final, the Scots once again ran into McKinney North — the very team that eliminated them from the 2024 playoffs before storming to a 5A-DI Runner-Up finish. This time, Highland Park controlled the moment, sweeping the Bulldogs before repeating that effort against Aledo in the Semifinals.
Now, the No. 4-ranked team in Texas (MaxPreps) returns to the championship match for the first time since 2008, aiming to secure the program’s first-ever UIL crown.
On offense, the Scots feature a well-structured attack headlined by senior Brooklyn Bailey, a Memphis-signee and last year’s District 12-5A Hitter of the Year.
Alongside her is sophomore standout Sarah Floyd, the reigning district Newcomer of the Year, who has stepped comfortably into a major role during HP’s postseason surge. Factor in 6-foot-5 senior middle Lydia Fisher (California–San Diego), and it’s no surprise the front line is as potent as it is.
Defensively, the Scots rely on Arizona-bound libero Georgia “Gigi” Whann, last season’s 12-5A Libero of the Year. Her court command and passing consistency have helped stabilize a backline that rarely gives opponents clean looks. Senior DS Tiffany Lindo, a first-team, all-district selection, adds another layer of reliability to a defensive unit that has been as disciplined as it has been dynamic.
But in A&M Consolidated, Highland Park meets a program writing its own euphoric story.
After finishing second in District 17-5A, A&M Consolidated (37–9) has surged when the lights burned brightest. The Tigers stunned the state last week by sweeping crosstown rival College Station in the Regional Final — a victory that clinched their first State Tournament appearance since 2014. They followed it up with a composed, four-set win over New Braunfels in the Semis, sealing the school’s inaugural trip to the UIL State Championship match.
Explosiveness remains a defining trait for head coach Laura Korenek’s squad, and nowhere is that more evident than in the Tigers’ front-row firepower. Freshman outside hitter Harper Korenek has been a revelation, erupting for just under 500 kills while adding 356 digs — a résumé likely to earn her Newcomer of the Year honors.
She forms a potent one-two punch with senior Jillian Vinal, an East Texas A&M-signee and the Swiss Army knife of Consol’s operation. Whether setting or shifting to the right side, Vinal has supplied 305 kills, 568 assists, and 347 digs, showcasing an increasingly versatile skill set.
Rounding out the offensive arsenal are seniors Mia Cross (179 kills, 336 digs), a UT-Tyler signee, and Sammie Smith, who is Arkansas Tech-bound and has chipped in 279 kills of her own. Meanwhile, at the controls is sophomore setter Kendall Newton, whose nearly 800 assists have elevated the offense’s tempo and balance throughout the playoff run.
By the final whistle, one program will leave with its first UIL title — a breakthrough years in the making. The other will walk away knowing it stood on the sport’s biggest stage. Either way, Saturday promises a finish worthy of two teams that have surged into Texas volleyball’s brightest spotlight.
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