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Top sports stories of the year: No. 1
Volleyball: Return engagement: Cowgirls repeat
By Scott White, Special to Starlocalnews
GARLAND - Coppell's Cowgirls won their second straight 5A title on Saturday night and they did it the hard way, letting a 2-0 lead slip away then having to rally in the fifth set for a dramatic 25-14, 25-17, 23-25, 22-25, 15-10 win over New Braunfels at the Curtis Culwell Center.
"We were ahead two games and I really think we relaxed a little bit," said Julie Green, Coppell head coach, "and New Braunfels is not a team that is gong to let you get away with that. They were fighting for their life. They need that game and they jumped out on us quick. That put us back on our heels a little bit and I think we started playing tight. But New Braunfels is fantastic and hats off to them."
It was a near miraculous performance by the Unicorns who trailed the state's top-ranked team and defending 5A champs 2-0 in the championship match, but rode their spectacular back row, the wizardry of setter Jessica Waldrip and clutch kills to push Coppell to the limit before falling.
"We left it all on the floor," said coach Robin Gerlich, who took over as head coach of the Unicorns this season. "I knew this was a special group and I think they proved it tonight with the way they fought when they were down. I couldn't be prouder of this group of girls."
It all came down to the fifth set and for a moment, it looked as if New Braunfels was going to pull of the amazing comeback.
With Neka Cuppetilli and Morrigan Land running the slide almost non-stop, Cassie Reilly throwing up a huge block and Waldrip continually fooling the Coppell defense, New Braunfels jumped to an 8-5 lead in the final set.
But then Coppell's powerful Erica Bohannon took over. The 6-1 senior led a 10-2 closing run for the Cowgirls in which she had four kills and two aces and her vicious serving had the Unicorns completely off balance down the final stretch. And once Bohannon rotated back to serve, Chiaka Ogbogu took over with two huge kills then teamed with Cathryn Cheek on the championship winning stuff to close out the match.
"Coppell has some great players and whether it's seventh grade or the state tournament, it's comes down to being able to pass the ball," said Gerlich. "And that hurt us at the end."
Bohannon finished with 21 kills, 10 assists, 4 aces, 19 digs and chipped in on two blocks and was named tournament MVP. High-flying Chiaka Ogbogu, who ask could easily have been named MVP, led the attack with 24 kills on just 52 swings and three solo blocks and three block assists.
Mary Kate-Marshall chipped in nine kills and two aces while Cassidy Pickrell finished with eight kills and 11 digs.
Kylie Pickrell finished off a terrific sophomore season with 56 assists, 15 digs and even had four kills while Alex Silver and Ashley Rich led the back row with 17 and 15 digs.
Green noted she was especially impressed by the team's ability to rally when down in the final set.
"It's incredible," she said. "But we have great kids on the court and great kids on the bench. And when it came down to it, we had kids that wanted the ball coming to them and we had kids who stepped up and finished it off."
Cuppetilli and Waldrip led New Braunfels with 10 kills each. Morrigan Land and Lauren Kenney had nine each, Cassie Reilly had seven and Katie Steel added six. Waldrip finished with 37 assists and 20 digs and easily could have been named MVP had New Braunfels pulled off the comeback.
Libero Danella Villarreal led a back row that completely frustrated Coppell in sets three and four with 27 kills, many bordering on spectacular. Ashley Myer had 11 digs, Ali Hubisak added 10 and Kenney had eight.
"Their defense was unbelievable," said Green, who won her third straight title as a coach, the first coming in 2010 at Lake Travis and the second last year with Coppell.
Early on, however, it seemed like it was going to be a long night for the Unicorns.
Coppell simply overpowered New Braunfels in the opening set. After the teams traded a few points early, the Cowgirls exploded on a 16-4 run to blow it open.
Bohannon, Ogbogu and Pickrell led the onslaught and the Unicorns did little to help themselves by chipping in six errors.
What little offense New Braunfels managed came from Cuppetilli, Kenney or Waldrip, but it wasn't enough to keep the Unicorns within striking distance.
Set two was more of the same, as Bohannon, Pickrell and Ogbogu continued to pound away.
Down 22-13, the Unicorns put together a late rally led by Myer and Kenney to pull within five, but the Cowgirls closed it out with a 3-0 run that was sealed on a stuff by Marshall to put Coppell up 2-0.
Still, New Braunfels refused to go away.
"I never thought we were out of it," said Waldrip. "I thought we could come back."
The Unicorns exploded out of the gate to start set three, jumping to a 9-2 lead behind Kenney, Myer and terrific back row play.
Coppell responded and led by Bohannon and Marshall, they began chipping away at the lead. A smash by Pickrell finally pulled the Cowgirls even and they moved in front 18-16 on an ace by Natalie Gilbert. But it would be temporary.
The Unicorns regained the lead on a 4-0 run only to see Coppell answer. But down 21-20, New Braunfels went on a 5-2 run closed out on a soft shot over the block by Cuppetilli to pull the Unicorns within 2-1.
The momentum carried over into the fourth set, as did the spectacular defense as New Braunfels jumped out early and held on to force the fifth set.
The Unicorns finish the season 46-5 and Gerlich hopes this is just the start of things to come.
"I love the school and the girls and I really look forward to giving New Braunfels a chance to come back here soon," she said.
The Cowgirls, who opened the season ranked No. 1 in the state and finished it that way, finish at 49-3.
"I'm incredible proud of this team," said Green. "We had to go through some tough teams to get here and we were challenged every game along the way. But they are champions and they showed it tonight."
By Scott White, Special to Starlocalnews
GARLAND - Coppell's Cowgirls won their second straight 5A title on Saturday night and they did it the hard way, letting a 2-0 lead slip away then having to rally in the fifth set for a dramatic 25-14, 25-17, 23-25, 22-25, 15-10 win over New Braunfels at the Curtis Culwell Center.
"We were ahead two games and I really think we relaxed a little bit," said Julie Green, Coppell head coach, "and New Braunfels is not a team that is gong to let you get away with that. They were fighting for their life. They need that game and they jumped out on us quick. That put us back on our heels a little bit and I think we started playing tight. But New Braunfels is fantastic and hats off to them."
It was a near miraculous performance by the Unicorns who trailed the state's top-ranked team and defending 5A champs 2-0 in the championship match, but rode their spectacular back row, the wizardry of setter Jessica Waldrip and clutch kills to push Coppell to the limit before falling.
"We left it all on the floor," said coach Robin Gerlich, who took over as head coach of the Unicorns this season. "I knew this was a special group and I think they proved it tonight with the way they fought when they were down. I couldn't be prouder of this group of girls."
It all came down to the fifth set and for a moment, it looked as if New Braunfels was going to pull of the amazing comeback.
With Neka Cuppetilli and Morrigan Land running the slide almost non-stop, Cassie Reilly throwing up a huge block and Waldrip continually fooling the Coppell defense, New Braunfels jumped to an 8-5 lead in the final set.
But then Coppell's powerful Erica Bohannon took over. The 6-1 senior led a 10-2 closing run for the Cowgirls in which she had four kills and two aces and her vicious serving had the Unicorns completely off balance down the final stretch. And once Bohannon rotated back to serve, Chiaka Ogbogu took over with two huge kills then teamed with Cathryn Cheek on the championship winning stuff to close out the match.
"Coppell has some great players and whether it's seventh grade or the state tournament, it's comes down to being able to pass the ball," said Gerlich. "And that hurt us at the end."
Bohannon finished with 21 kills, 10 assists, 4 aces, 19 digs and chipped in on two blocks and was named tournament MVP. High-flying Chiaka Ogbogu, who ask could easily have been named MVP, led the attack with 24 kills on just 52 swings and three solo blocks and three block assists.
Mary Kate-Marshall chipped in nine kills and two aces while Cassidy Pickrell finished with eight kills and 11 digs.
Kylie Pickrell finished off a terrific sophomore season with 56 assists, 15 digs and even had four kills while Alex Silver and Ashley Rich led the back row with 17 and 15 digs.
Green noted she was especially impressed by the team's ability to rally when down in the final set.
"It's incredible," she said. "But we have great kids on the court and great kids on the bench. And when it came down to it, we had kids that wanted the ball coming to them and we had kids who stepped up and finished it off."
Cuppetilli and Waldrip led New Braunfels with 10 kills each. Morrigan Land and Lauren Kenney had nine each, Cassie Reilly had seven and Katie Steel added six. Waldrip finished with 37 assists and 20 digs and easily could have been named MVP had New Braunfels pulled off the comeback.
Libero Danella Villarreal led a back row that completely frustrated Coppell in sets three and four with 27 kills, many bordering on spectacular. Ashley Myer had 11 digs, Ali Hubisak added 10 and Kenney had eight.
"Their defense was unbelievable," said Green, who won her third straight title as a coach, the first coming in 2010 at Lake Travis and the second last year with Coppell.
Early on, however, it seemed like it was going to be a long night for the Unicorns.
Coppell simply overpowered New Braunfels in the opening set. After the teams traded a few points early, the Cowgirls exploded on a 16-4 run to blow it open.
Bohannon, Ogbogu and Pickrell led the onslaught and the Unicorns did little to help themselves by chipping in six errors.
What little offense New Braunfels managed came from Cuppetilli, Kenney or Waldrip, but it wasn't enough to keep the Unicorns within striking distance.
Set two was more of the same, as Bohannon, Pickrell and Ogbogu continued to pound away.
Down 22-13, the Unicorns put together a late rally led by Myer and Kenney to pull within five, but the Cowgirls closed it out with a 3-0 run that was sealed on a stuff by Marshall to put Coppell up 2-0.
Still, New Braunfels refused to go away.
"I never thought we were out of it," said Waldrip. "I thought we could come back."
The Unicorns exploded out of the gate to start set three, jumping to a 9-2 lead behind Kenney, Myer and terrific back row play.
Coppell responded and led by Bohannon and Marshall, they began chipping away at the lead. A smash by Pickrell finally pulled the Cowgirls even and they moved in front 18-16 on an ace by Natalie Gilbert. But it would be temporary.
The Unicorns regained the lead on a 4-0 run only to see Coppell answer. But down 21-20, New Braunfels went on a 5-2 run closed out on a soft shot over the block by Cuppetilli to pull the Unicorns within 2-1.
The momentum carried over into the fourth set, as did the spectacular defense as New Braunfels jumped out early and held on to force the fifth set.
The Unicorns finish the season 46-5 and Gerlich hopes this is just the start of things to come.
"I love the school and the girls and I really look forward to giving New Braunfels a chance to come back here soon," she said.
The Cowgirls, who opened the season ranked No. 1 in the state and finished it that way, finish at 49-3.
"I'm incredible proud of this team," said Green. "We had to go through some tough teams to get here and we were challenged every game along the way. But they are champions and they showed it tonight."
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