Cowgirls snatch up fourth district win in front of thrilled fans

Cowgirl pride swells as the varsity volleyball team shouts “Cowgirls on three!” No matter their opponent, home matches have seemed to attract an enthusiastic crowd. As the Coppell Cowgirls (19-12, 4-0 District 9-6A) dominated W.T. White 3-0, middle school volleyball players and high school supporters alike cheered raucously from the bleachers.

“I love home games because the atmosphere is just so great, all the fans come to watch and it makes us really excited throughout the game,” junior middle blocker Riley Ross said.

The Cowgirls won the sets 25-3, 24-5, and 25-7, ending each set with a lead of at least 15. It is no surprise W.T. White struggled to keep up with the Cowgirls who worked hard to maintain a wide lead. Strong blocks from Ross in the first set and a difficult dump by junior setter Ava Racz in the third set put Coppell’s score far above W.T. White’s.

“We wanted our kids to stay focused,” Coppell coach Julie Green said. “Every game counts the same. I think there’s a mindset that if it’s not a top 10 team that they don’t prepare or don’t stay focused enough and we really wanted our girls to keep that focus and take care of our side of the net.”

The Cowgirls held focus through all three sets, resulting in several serving streaks that went on for 10 or more points. Racz had a 10 point serving run right off the bat, followed by junior defensive specialist Izzy Hall and sophomore setter Mallory Rodgers who packed powerful plays with serving streaks that rushed the score board.

However, focus was not entirely confined to the court at Tuesday’s home game. Coppell High School 2012 alumni and current professional volleyball player Kierra Holst sat in the stands watching the Cowgirls eagerly.  With Coppell Middle School East history teacher Jim Burrows commentating in the background, Host eagerly followed the match while she chatted with friends.
“It’s really exciting,” Holst said. “ Obviously I’m really jealous of the big stadium you guys have, but the school earned it. It’s great to get to play in here and it’s a great experience for the girls.”