2 days Ago By Gabe Myers
HUTTO — The Goliad Tigerettes are heading to the Class 3A, Division I volleyball state championship game. Goliad's 3-0 sweep of Grandview on Tuesday night at the Hutto gym was defined by its defense. "They're just so determined and they work so well together," said Goliad head coach Jess Odem.
"There's some times in the game where it was tough for us to get a point, but they're able to let that go, work harder then score a point and get on a run. The Tigerettes (41-5) set the tone with its defense at the front of the net. Middle blocker Addison Yendrey and setter Isabel Sanchez knew they had to win the battle at the net.
The defense of the two sophomores got Goliad off to a 13-4 lead in the first set. "We were able to shut them down from the very beginning just by watching film and seeing where they hit," Yendrey said. "They definitely started to get a little hesitant with their hits, not going up as strong and trying to roll over, but our defense was there to cover up.
" Yendrey and Sanchez combined for 10 blocks and were a problem for the Zebras' hitters throughout the match. Even when the block did not result in a point, the presence of Goliad's block was felt. Very few Grandview (37-9) attacks got to the Goliad back row without it hitting Tigerette hands up top.
"It takes a lot of momentum away from the hitter when you start to stop them at the front line," Odem said. "That is a big part of our game and it's something that we have to make sure we accomplish." Goliad's front row defense allowed it to overcome some of its struggle in serve receive.
The Tigerettes knew that Grandview's service game would pose problems and for periods of the game it did. That was never more evident than a 17-8 run Grandview went on from the end of the first set through the beginning of the second set. "When you're out of system in serve receive it's hard to catch up," Odem said.
"Knowing that was going to happen and keeping that in the back of our minds and we knew we had to work hard in other areas of the game." When Goliad was able to handle Grandview's service game, it was able to go on dominant stretches. After trailing 11-6 in the second set, the Tigerettes went on a 19-7 run to close out the set and take a 2-0 lead.
"That win in the second set gave us a sense of achievement," Yendrey said. "We definitely had that feeling that we were going to win." The Tigerettes carried that second set form into the start of the third set by jumping out to a 9-3 lead, once again doing so with defense at the front row.
"This game was a defensive game," Sanchez said. "We executed on our defense and now we're headed to state..
. it hasn't really kicked in yet." Goliad led the third set start to finish and a Maevyn Wunsch kill sent the Tigerettes to the state title game.
"We've come a long way this season," Yendrey said. "We've worked really hard, myself and my teammates, we've pushed each other to our limits to get this point." For Odem, the win makes her 5-0 in state semifinal games for her coaching career.
Goliad is off to Garland's Curtis Culwell Center for the state championship game where it will face defending 3A state champion Bushland Friday at 2 p.m. Goliad won the state championship in 2017.
"We're excited, but at the end of the day it's just another game," Odem said. "Yes, it's a bigger stage and there's a huge success story afterwards, but we have to step on the court, play volleyball and do everything we can do." Goliad 3, Grandview 0 Goliad 25 25 25 Grandview 19 18 17 Highlights: (G) Isabel Sanchez 20 assists, 14 digs, 5 blocks, 5 kills, 1 ace; Addison Yendrey 9 kills, 5 blocks, 1 dig; Karolynn Youngblood 17 digs, 2 aces; Maevyn Wunsch 13 digs, 8 kills.
Records: Goliad 41-5, Grandview 37-9..
