BUDA – After falling a step short of state last season, the Dripping Springs Tiger volleyball team Saturday made sure they didn’t let a similar opportunity slip through their fingers again.
Sixteen kills from sophomore Mackenzie Plante powered Dripping Springs in a heart-pounding 25-19, 23-25, 25-19, 25-23 5A, Region IV final victory over the New Braunfels Canyon Cougars, the third meeting in roughly three months between the two district foes. .
Dripping Springs (22-5) advances to the 5A state semifinals where they take on Fulshear, the defending 2019 4A state champions. Date, time and location for the contest has not yet been announced.
By advancing Saturday, the Tigers will make its second trip to the state tournament in the last three seasons, its first since finishing as state semifinalists in 2018, and the program’s fifth trip to state since 2013. Dripping Springs’ win also rectified a 5A, Region IV Final loss suffered in 2019, which prevented the Tigers from making back-to-back trips to state a year ago.
The Tigers’ victory also extended the team’s win streak to ten matches dating back to Nov. 6.
Supporting Plante were sophomore Karley Sledge, Natalie Arnold and Annabelle Crowder who all scored nine kills each in the match. Sophomore Ava Williamson finished with eight kills. Setting up the offense was junior Ryann Frontera who recorded 31 assists and senior Morgan Van de Walle’s 24 assists.
Defensively, Dripping Springs’ front line harried Canyon’s attack with eight total blocks in the match. Arnold, Williamson and Crowder all tallied two blocks a piece. Five Tigers finished in double figures in digs with Frontera and senior Nicole Herbert each finishing with 21 total digs. Altogether, the Tiger team finished with 101 digs in the match.
