Lady Tigers block at regionals

Sports Reporter

Dripping Springs High School’s recent volleyball game was certainly not the scenario everyone expected.

The reigning state champion Dripping Springs volleyball team expected to play through district champion Lake Travis High School in the regional finals to return to defend their crown. However, there was another team with title aspirations.

The strength of San Antonio’s Harlan High School (44-5) was probably already known, and when they defeated Lake Travis 3-2 in the semis, the Lady Tigers breathed easier when they did not have to face a team they had not defeated this season. Dripping Springs matched up with O'Connor High School of Helotes in their semis and after losing the first game, came back to shut out O'Connor in the next three to advance. It had to be a surprise to the Lady Tigers fans when Harlan was able to blank Dripping Springs (48-7) 3-0 to advance to the state tourney from Region IV. The Lady Tigers certainly have the experience returning to make another strong run next year.

To get to the regional tourney, the Lady Tigers had played through district rival Westlake, who split with them but almost lost both. Nothing close in this one as the Lady Tigers took it in three. At press time the regional stats were not made available.

Vs. Westlake (25-17, 25-21, 25-18): Kills (36): Henley Anderson 13, Riley Certain 7, Sydney Lund 7. Aces (7): Presley Alford 2, Riley Jones 2. Blks (6): Ashley Euston 4, Lund 2. Digs (51): Alford 12, Anderson 11, Ella Kuhn 10. Assts (35): Alford 20, Lund 12. Receiving (42): Anderson 18, Kuhn 11.