Consistent cheers echoed throughout Coppell High School Arena by the student section as serves went back and forth with McKinney Boyd.
Despite the Coppell volleyball team’s efforts, they were unable to secure a victory, only winning the first out of four sets: 22-25, 25-19, 27-25 and 25-23.
Beginning with high energy from the Cowgirls, securing a win in the first set with a 25-22 finish. Coppell’s front row, led by impactful plays from Coppell junior libero Molly Williams, delivered key hits and blocks that set the tone for the match.
“We started off really strong and connected well as a team but after the first set, I think we let up a little bit,” Williams said. “We need to work on keeping our energy up, staying consistent and especially serving in the more isolated spots, especially against a tough team like Boyd.”
Coppell’s front row players coordinated well with the back row to keep strong rallies going, including sophomore outside hitter Brooke Felix and senior setter Carolina Ufret Senior, who significantly contributed with their hitting and blocking, keeping the momentum going on Coppell’s side.
“We were really hyped up coming into this game,” Felix said. “We knew Boyd was a strong team, but we wanted to set the tone early and show them what we’re made of.”
However, with McKinney Boyd targeting Coppell’s minor errors, they tightened their defense to pull ahead while in serve receive. Despite a late push from the Cowgirls, they couldn’t close the gap, dropping the set 25-19.
“They started to figure out our defense, and we had to adjust quickly,” Felix said. “We had some great plays where we fought back, but they were good at finding our weaker areas on the court.”
The third set continued intense rallies with both teams constantly scoring and picking themselves back up, with the score being tied during most of the set. Yet, the Broncos were victorious, edging out the Cowgirls, 27-25.
“We knew going into this match that it would be a tough one playing against a strong team like Boyd,” Coppell coach Robyn Ross said. “They challenged us in ways that exposed areas we need to work on, especially while serving and blocking; we need to focus on being more consistent and executing better under pressure.”
Heading into the fourth set, with Williams digging for each ball and Coppell sophomore defensive specialist Hailey Chew covering the back row, each play was fought hard for. As the set progressed, the lead see-sawed back and forth, making the score tied for each team until the end.
The Broncos, known for their aggressive plays and teamwork, responded with well-placed hits and strong jump serves, but the Cowgirls matched their intensity. With the score repeatedly tied, the tension mounted with the scoreboard being 23-23.
With tension increasing of determining who was going to win the last set, final plays from McKinney Boyd sophomore DS Grace Edwards hitting toward the back right, leading to a loss for Coppell, 25-23.
“We were trying to stay focused and keep our energy up, but it was tough,” Felix said. “Boyd played really well, and we just couldn’t finish as strong as we needed to.”
The Cowgirls’ next match is against Keller in the CHS Arena on Friday at 6:30 p.m.
Follow @CHSCampusNews, @SidekickSports and @rhea_choud on X.
