Playoff Match to Watch: McAllen vs Flour Buff
It’s time! The high school volleyball season enters a pivotal moment in the state of Texas with the playoffs going at full pace and the State Championship quickly approaching and us, at Prep Dig, will be following all the action…
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Continue ReadingIt’s time! The high school volleyball season enters a pivotal moment in the state of Texas with the playoffs going at full pace and the State Championship quickly approaching and us, at Prep Dig, will be following all the action just like you.
After nearly three months of regular season, only the best teams of each district remain in contention and from now on, there’s no more room for errors as a setback will mean the end of the season and, for the many seniors, spread across the Lone Star state, the ending point of their high school careers.
This week started with the bi-district matches and now it’s time for the area matchups. As we’ve done the entire season, we’ll use this space to recommend a match to watch every day of action.
On Friday, November 5, the matchup between the McAllen Bulldogs and the Flour Buff Hornets in the Corpus Christi area seems like a great one to follow on Class 5A:
McAllen vs Flour Buff – 5pm
The teams have similar records in the season and should feature on an interesting duel. The Lady Bulldogs from the McAllen High School ranked fourth on Region IV, District 31, winning ten and losing four matches. Their bi-district victory over Veterans Memorial pushed their season record to 38-6 and extended their winning streak to seven matches. The Hornets from the Flour Buff High School have also their last seven matches on their way to finish second on Region IV, District 29. The team dropped just five of their 37 matches in the season.
Players to Watch – McAllen
Celina Saenz – Outside Hitter – 2022
A standout basketball and volleyball player for McAllen, Celina Saenz has been carrying a significant load in the team’s offense this season. The explosive 5’8” outside hitter bring a lot of energy at the pin and can score in a variety of ways with her different shots. Saenz has produced a team-high 342 kills so far (3.2 per set) and has also immensely helped the team on defense (383 digs), receiving (309 passes) and from the service line (44 aces).
Andrea Tovar – Middle Blocker – 2022
After sitting out of the last high school season, Andrea Tovar came back stronger than ever, putting up tremendous performances to help McAllen this time around. An undersized middle blocker at 5’8”, the senior has been working hard to be a factor at the net for the Lady Bulldogs and is certainly doing so, leading the team in blocks with 74. Her offense has also been on point and is the second most effective in the entire roster with 241 (2.2 per set).
Players to Watch – Flour Buff
Katy Geurin – Outside Hitter – Club: Corpus Christi Force – 2022
Flower Buff also have their high-volume scorer and that’s Katy Geurin. A long and athletic 5’11” prospect who’s capable of playing anywhere at the net, she’s been used as an outside hitter with the Hornets and became the team’s go-to scorer due to her ability to putting the ball on the floor. Geurin has already registered impressive 435 kills (4.3 per set), accounting for more than a third of the team’s entire offensive production. She’s also her team’s top server, having tallied 54 aces so far in the season, and a dynamic blocker, having produced 29 stuffs.
Harlie Gallapsy – Setter – 2023
After barely playing last season, Harlie Gallapsy became an absolutely key piece for the Hornets this season at the setter position. Also a very talented basketball player, the 5’6” Gallapsy has been doing a tremendous job in running the team’s offense as she surpassed 1,000 assists in the season a while ago – her season production is currently at 1,136, to an average of 10.8 per set. She’s also a very talented defensive player, having generated the team’s third-best mark of 230 digs, and a dangerous server, ranking second in that department with 33 aces.