High School volleyball team’s season came to an end Oct. 31 at the Marley Giddens Center in Columbus after being defeated by Anderson-Shiro High School with a final score of 25-22, 25-12, 25-15. Brazos hung tough with Shiro for the first set until Shiro started clicking on offense and propelled themselves to a win. "I just think that our hitters fell flat in the second and third set," said Brazos head volleyball coach Amanda Hatton. "I think if we would’ve came alive a little bit more, then it would’ve forced them to have to play a little bit more defense." A kill by Brazos freshman outside hitter McKenna Stroud
gave the Cougarettes an early 4-2 lead to start the first set. As both teams battled and Shiro eventually claimed the lead back, Brazos didn't fold and made it 15-12 in favor of Shiro on a kill from junior middle blocker Camille Combie. The Lady Owls would pull away at 21-12 on three aces, a block, and a tip ball to take a commanding lead. The Coug arettes didn’t give in and added another kill from Combie, two kills from junior middle blocker Sophia Vykukal, and an ace from sophomore setter Ava Aguilar to make it 22-16, then a kill from Lady Owls senior setter Taylor Howell won the set 25-22 even though Brazos continued to battle with a kill, a tip ball, and a couple errors from Shiro.
Shiro went guns blazing in the second set and went ahead 8-1 on a bunch of kills and an ace. A serve in the net from the Lady Owls made it 14-6, which led to four points in a row, then another kill from Howell and a 19-8 lead for Shiro. A kill from Brazos' Combie made it 20-11 and this was followed by two balls out of bounds and one in the net from the Cougarettes. An ace and a set winning kill at 25-12 won it for Shiro.
Shiro jumped out to another big lead at the beginning of the third set and had an 8-1 lead after an illegal hit from Brazos. Another illegal hit from the Cougarettes put the scoreboard at 11-5, then Shiro went on to take a 19-8 lead on many kills and a few mishits from Brazos. A kill from Brazos' Stroud put it at 19-9 before Shiro notched another batch of kills with some kills mixed in from Brazos, eventually winning the set and match for the Lady Owls 25-15 on a ball out of bounds and a ball in the net from Brazos.
