The score is 15-14, the Coppell volleyball team leading. The past four sets have been a whirlwind of feelings, filled with screams of success and team hugs of defeat.
Now, as the Cowgirls are one point away from success, the crowd watches eagerly as Coppell sophomore outside hitter Brooke Felix aims a fierce attack that can’t be suppressed by the Vikings. Screams echo through the Coppell High School Arena as the Cowgirls ring in their first win of the season, 25-21, 25-27, 25-17, 19-25, 16-14, on Friday.
Led by attacks by junior outside hitter Ryan Kate Hoerman and Felix, and junior opposite hitter Mari Hill in the fifth set, the Coppell volleyball team pushed through to experience victory.
“In practice, our coach pushes us a lot to compete, so I feel like that helped me push through all five sets,” Hoerman said. “We all really wanted to win and we have good chemistry working together.”
At the beginning of the fifth set, Nolan Catholic leading 7-0, it seemed the Cowgirls might face another loss even after their almost perfect third set. Yet, just one failed serve on the Viking’s side later, the Coppell volleyball team gained a synergy unseen before.
“I think we all really came in with the mindset of wanting to win,” Hill said. “We had two tough practices the day before that kind of motivated us to win and to complete our job. I think everyone just had that mindset, which made it so much more engaging and fun and we were all focused in.”
Bolstering their defense but also upping the offense, the Cowgirls found a perfect balance that helped them be victorious.
“All of the offense and defense had to come together,” Coppell coach Robyn Ross said. “We couldn’t have just one thing working and still win tonight. They did a great job on all fronts.”
The Cowgirls play DeSoto on Tuesday at CHS Arena for Senior Night.
“I hope that now that they have felt what it feels like to have to fight for a long period of time, that becomes their normal,” Ross said.
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