Staff Report
After notching a district opening win Sept. 25, the Dripping Springs Tigers volleyball team followed by going 1-1 in district play last week, which included a five-set thriller in a battle between two of the top 10 teams in the state.
On Sept. 29, Dripping Springs, ranked No. 6 in the 5A Texas Girls Coaches Association (TGCA) state poll, fell to district foe and No. 5 New Braunfels Canyon in five hard-fought sets at Tiger Gym.
Tiger Sophomore Mackenzie Plante led all players with 21 kills in the Sept. 29 match. Junior Ryann Frontera finished with 28 assists. Senior Nicole Herbert finished the match with 21 digs.
Dripping Springs rebounded right back Oct. 2 when the team cruised past Boerne Champion in three straight sets.
Plante and junior Annabelle Crowder each finished with nine kills in the match and were aided by a seven-kill effort from junior Madi Lund.
Senior Morgan Van de Walle recorded a team high 21 assists and Frontera finished with 18 assists. Hebert had 17 digs.
Dripping Springs returns to action Oct. 9 when the Tigers play at Alamo Heights, a rematch of the 2019 Region IV, 5A Final.
Also in local 26-5A action, Johnson High tallied that program's first district win at the varsity level Friday when it defeated San Antonio Veterans Memorial in four sets. The victory also broke the Jaguars’ five-match losing streak.
Jaguar sophomore Mackenzie Behl led the team with 10 kills, while sophomore Erin Madden finished with eight kills. Helping the cause was 15 total aces notched by the Jags, led by junior Mackenzie Hilsenbeck who finished with five on the evening. Hilsenbeck also recorded a team-high 23 assists, while sophomore Lana Tello tallied 18 digs on the defensive side.
Meanwhile, fellow district mate Lehman also opened district play on the right foot Sept. 29 when it secured a straight-set win over Seguin. Senior Lobo Isabella Mantillo led the team with 13 kills and setter Leah Lara finished with a team high seven aces. Lobo senior Ana Santa Ana recorded 15 digs in the contest.
Lehman traveled to play Johnson Tuesday in the two programs’ first varsity match against one another. Lehman hosts powerhouse New Braunfels Canyon Oct. 9 while Johnson hosts Canyon Oct. 16.
