When the final USA TODAY Sports/American Volleyball Coaches Association Super 25 for girls volleyball is announced next week, a new team figures to occupy the No. 1 spot.
Oak Ridge (Conroe, Texas), which has had the top spot for much of the second half of the season, lost to No. 24 Hebron (Carrollton) by scores of 25-16, 25-13, 25-23 in the Texas 6A semifinals Friday night.
Oak Ridge fall to 48-1 on the season. Hebron, the defending state champions, moved to 45-6 and now gets a chance to repeat. Hebron faces Clear Creek (League City) on Saturday in hopes of winning its fourth state title.
“We didn’t let their record scare us,” Hebron senior setter Kylee McLaughlin, an Oregon State signee, told the Dallas Morning News. “We’ve played a lot of tough teams this season. We were ready. We played our game.”
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After falling behind in the first set, Oak Ridge closed within one at 14-13, Hebron went on a 7-1 run to push ahead 21-14 and then closed out the set.
In the second set, Hebron led 8-3 and then 14-6 before Oak Ridge called timeout. Another spurt led to a 20-9 lead, as Oak Ridge took another timeout. Hebron then closed out the set for a 2-0 lead.
The third set was the closest of the match after Hebron jumped to a 7-1 lead. Oak Ridge rallied for a 9-8 lead and the teams then traded punches from there.
Hebron took a timeout with Oak Ridge up 16-13. After a timeout when trailing 21-19, Hebron evened the score at 21-21.
With the score tied 22-22, Hebron went up 24-23 and then clinched the match with a 25-23 win in the third set.
Adanna Rollins led Hebron with 14 kills to lead three players with double figures in kills and seven digs. McLaughlin had 43 assists.