State Tournament Preview: Divisions 3A and 4A

<p>The wait is over! After three months of elite high school volleyball being played all over the Lone Star State, things are about to get even better as the University Interscholastic League (UIL) State Tournament is held this week.</p> <p>The four regional champions of each division will battle between Wednesday and Saturday for the six state titles and us at PrepDig.com will bring you the best coverage of the event that will take place at the Curtis Culwell Center in Garland.</p> <p>Competition for classes 3A and 4A starts on Thursday and here’s our preview for the four matches that are set to happen in those divisions during the day:</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p><strong><u>3A</u></strong></p> <p><strong>Lorena (38-4) vs Gunter (36-7) – 11am</strong></p> <p>Undefeated in their last 19 matches, Lorena was dominant in league play, winning all of their 11 district meetings. The Leopards have last lost a match in early September and made it to the State Tournament with a 38-4 win record. Seniors Abbie Tuyo (outside hitter) and Meg Kucera (setter) have been instrumental to Lorena’s success not only for their production, but also because of their leadership. Gunter is back at the State Tournament after making it to the semifinals last year. They were also undefeated in district play with 14 wins and have a 36-7 win record for the season. Keep an eye on junior middle blockers Rayanna Mauldin and Hanna Rubis and senior setter Adilynn Henry.</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p><strong>Bushland (33-5) vs Columbus (38-8) – 1pm</strong></p> <p>Defending champions Bushland remain in contention for back-to-back titles after the Falcons struggled with just five losses in their 38-match season, six of which to win district play. Bushland might not be the 30-2 powerhouse that won the state title last year, but the return of key contributors in senior libero Jaycee Adams and junior setter Logan Culpepper keeps the team highly-competitive. Columbus will challenge the defending and based on their 38-8 season record, it’s fair to assume they have what it takes to give Bushland a run for their money. Having their talented trio of juniors of Ember Mandola (middle blocker), Ally Tribe (outside hitter) and Sage Thomas (setter) in form will be instrumental for the Cardinal’s hopes.</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p><strong><u>4A</u></strong></p> <p><strong>Celina (41-1) vs Needville (33-12) – 5pm</strong></p> <p>Celina was nearly unstoppable during the regular season and the playoffs, dropping a single of their 42 matches and just nine sets during the entire year on their way to win district and region titles. The Bobcats have a solid and consistent core in senior setter Megan Hodges, senior outside hitter Lexi Manning and sophomore libero [player_tooltip player_id="155131" first="Morgan" last="Kelley"]. Needville had similar success in district play, winning all of their matches, but had a more modest win record for the season of 33-12. Among the team’s key contributors are four seniors – outside hitters Cayla Kozik and Yasmyn Ochoa, right sider Ashley Fojtik and libero Alyssa Edwards.</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p><strong>Bellville (41-8) vs Decatur (36-8) – 7pm</strong></p> <p>Back in the State Tournament for the first time since 2014, Bellville will try to end Decatur’s dream of back-to-back titles. The Brahmas arrive in Garland with a 41-8 win record and with district and region victories under their belts. Senior right sider Madison Morgan, senior outside hitter Lexi Higgins and junior libero Carly Lange are a big part of what the team does on the court. Despite the graduation of a few key seniors after last year’s title, Decatur remains strong as their 36-8 record and undefeated district victory indicates. All-Tournament Team selections last season, seniors [player_tooltip player_id="119916" first="Jentry" last="Lamirand"] (outside hitter), Bayli Miller (setter) and Kaylee Peterson (outside hitter) make up for a strong core with fellow class of 2022 middle blocker [player_tooltip player_id="99503" first="Dakota" last="Hartman"].</p>