While there's always room for improvement in athletics, Texas High's volleyball team opened the season with a convincing win over host Liberty-Eylau.
The Lady Tigers swept the match, 25-16, 25-15, 25-8, with long rallies early in each set to build solid leads Tuesday at the Rader Dome.
With the Lady Tigers ahead 2-0 sets, Katelyn Jordan served 12 winners in a row to stake THS to a 17-4 advantage in Set 3. Jordan finished with 13 winners, second only to teammate Aliyah Forte's 15, while Jordan also added 10 assists.
"The girls were a little nervous tonight, with it being the first one of the season," Texas High coach Melissa Hardy said. "There were a lot of fans in the stands, and I thought we played a lot better against Pleasant Grove on Friday (in a scrimmage). For them to get that game underneath their belt, it's going to help us as we move forward.
"I'm proud of the girls for stepping up and doing what they needed to do."
Olivia Lower swatted 10 kills for Texas High, Kaitlyn Cross contributed nine kills, eight digs and a pair of blocks, and Treyaunna Rush had eight kills and 15 assists.
Up 18-11 in the first set, the Tigers went on a 5-1 streak to build a 23-12 advantage. The team traded points until THS won the first set.
Forte served seven in a row to give Texas High a 9-2 lead in Set 2, and Forte also closed the set on a 7-point serving rally.
Liberty-Eylau answered the early run with four consecutive points to cut the lead to 9-6, but the Lady Leopards never managed to get closer than that the rest of the way. L-E also made it 3-points at 18-15 before Forte's second streak.
"We had some jitters tonight," Leopards coach LaTasha Harris said. "When you play a cross-town rival, the nerves are always going to be a little higher because they know each other and they're friends. But we're also putting in a lot of new things, a whole new defensive and a whole new offense.
"While the outcome wasn't what we wanted, I saw great moments. We're going to capitalize on those great moments, and improve on the moments that weren't so great."
Despite taking both timeouts in the third set during Jordan's long rally, Liberty-Eylau was unable to break serve until Taylor Crabtree's kill at 17-5. Texas High scored 8 of 11 to close out the match.
Derrica Henderson served five points and had three blocks to lead the Leopards. Keely Norris had three kills and a block.
L-E won the junior varsity match, 25-19, 25-21, behind Tamara Norris' 12 points, including four aces. Makenzie Johnson served seven for the Tigers.
