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UIL STATE SEMIFINALS: Grapevine vs. New Braunfels Canyon volleyball
The UIL State volleyball tournament has already been off to a great. start. The next semifinals pairing winner will head to the state championship match and play against one of the most dominant volleyball teams in the state: Lucas Lovejoy. Before that, though, Grapevine and New Braunfels Canyon must play.
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Grapevine Mustangs (21-17, 9-5)
Grapevine has posted an incredible season so far. The Lady Mustangs have fought to stay in the running to be one of the top DFW volleyball teams all season and the work has more than paid off. Missouri signee Janet deMarrais has been a phenomenal source of energy on Grapevine's team while tallying 407 kills this season. deMarrais posted a season-high 31 kills in the first round of playoffs against Wichita Falls Rider. deMarrais is joined by teammates Alea Lastinger, Greyson Button, and Ava Shankle who have all played hard for the Mustangs this season.
Playing with a dominating offense and a commanding defense, fans should expect Grapevine to come into Friday's semifinal strong.
New Braunfels Canyon Cougars (43-8, 15-1)
The Cougars have shown that they are here on a very specific business trip this season- they want to take it all home and they are going to fight to continue to keep their hopes of a state title alive. The team lost a preseason match against Lovejoy earlier this year and wants nothing more than to make a full circle all the way back to the biggest state in Texas high school volleyball to shut down the Leopards once and for all, so fans can expect to see the Cougars use that as motivation to play hard against Grapevine.
Canyon is led by Kyla Malone who has posted 580 kills on the season. The offense has scored in moments that have been absolutely necessary all season in order to stay alive and fans can expect to see much of the same on Friday afternoon.
What to Expect:
Both teams are going to play hard until the final point is scored. Canyon may want to play in a revenge match against Lovejoy, but Grapevine has been on their mark all season. The Mustangs have everything it takes to make it to the state finale and the only thing standing in their way is Canyon.
UIL STATE SEMIFINALS PREVIEW: Lovejoy vs. Manvel volleyball
The Lovejoy Leopards are no stranger to the biggest stage in UIL volleyball. In their 12th consecutive appearance in the state semifinals, Lovejoy is looking to advance to the finale on Saturday. Before they can do that, though, they must beat first-time qualifier Manvel. Let's take a look at the teams and what fans can expect in Friday's semifinal pairing.
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Lovejoy Leopards (40-6, 13-1)
Last season, Lovejoy completed a perfect season- dropping no games and topping it all off with their eighth state title. This year, the Leopards are looking to add another state title notch to their belts as they head into the state semifinals on a 15-game win-streak. Despite finishing second in their district- just behind a very strong McKinney North team- Lovejoy has shown the strength and stamina they always have had on the court.
With six athletes signed to college program, the depth of talent is incredible for the Leopards. Pepperdine signee Rosemary Archer leads the team in kills with 392 while Baylor signee Averi Carlson leads the team in assists with 879 and aces with 69. Carlson is third in diggs (364) and is quite the presence on the court for the Leopards. With the drive and power to continue their excellence, fans should expect to see Lovejoy finish the tournament strong.
Manvel Mavericks (37-11, 16-0)
Manvel comes into the semifinals with a 22-game win-streak after posting a perfect district record (16-0). Showing incredible defense, the Mavericks have defeated the likes of Needville, Barbers Hill, Clear Creek, Deer Park, College Station, and more en route to the state tournament. Manvel is on a mission this season and is ready to put up a fight in order to get to where they want to be- the state finale.
The biggest threats on Manvel's team are Lyric Jordan, Devyn Lewis, and Mary-Kate Preston. While Jordan has tallied 399 kills and sits in the second-highest spot in kills for the team, Lewis has recorded 474 kills. The two are going to look to continue their scoring dominance on Friday morning against Lovejoy. Preston has posted 342 kills and 163 total blocks (144 of which are solo).
What to Expect:
Head-to-head battle and back-to-back scoring. Fans can expect these teams to play top-notch volleyball as they go score-for-score throughout this match. Manvel is going to come in strong and ready to keep up with the likes of Lovejoy. Lovejoy has all the power, drive, and will to advance to the state finale, but it's not going to come without a fight.