GEORGETOWN – The Taylor High School varsity volleyball team picked up a handful of victories Aug. 10-12 as the Lady Ducks competed at a tournament hosted in Georgetown.
Led by four seniors with Hannah Wamble, Camryn Nunamaker, Ansley Reed and Ri’Queleigh Holmes-Grant, the Lady Ducks had a great bonding experience over the weekend as the squad continues to get better just one week into the regular season.
“We had a lot of time to sit down and bond between games and on the bus rides,” first-year head coach Rylee Davis said. “My varsity kids have already started creating such a fun bond with each other, and me as well. Relationship building is one of my favorite aspects of being a coach, and how much they have been able to joke around with me, but take things seriously when we need to has made me so proud.”
Following close losses to Salado High School and Vista Ridge High School on Thursday, the Lady Ducks finished the first day with a match victory against Hutto High School. Taylor lost the first set 17-25 but bounced back with wins in the next two sets (2522 and 25-20) to take the best-of-three match.
On the second day of the tournament, Taylor picked up a win over Davis’ alma mater Austin McNeil High School.
Although the Lady Ducks fell 20-25 in the first set, they again stormed back to take the next sets (2515 and 25-20) to secure the match victory.
Taylor won its final two matches of the tournament on Saturday as the Lady Ducks would go on to dominate Academy High School in two sets (25-9 and 25-13) and then had a back-andforth affair with Cuero High School. After the Lady Ducks won the first set against Cuero 25-22, they lost the second set 20-25 but would go on to seal the deal with a gritty 25-23 win in the third set.
Against great competition, the Lady Ducks finished with four wins and five losses over three days in Georgetown and Davis was proud of the way her girls competed.
“Between the wins and losses, the kids grew closer and saw how much potential they really have this year,” Davis said. “We took something valuable from each win and loss at the Georgetown tournament. We were hanging right there with some stateranked teams as well as some 6A playoff contenders.”
The Lady Ducks now have a 5-5 overall record heading into Tuesday night’s road non-district matchup at Rogers High School. Taylor varsity volleyball will then hit the road on Aug. 17-19 as they compete in the Tournament on the Bay hosted by Bay City High School.
Lady Ducks varsity volleyball sophomore Elena Martinez blocks a shot at the net on Aug. 8 during Taylor’s home match vs. Lampasas.
Photo by Larry Pelchat
