Tuesday Night Run Down: The Woodlands vs. Grand Oaks
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In a playoff atmosphere, The Woodlands faced off for a district match-up against Grand Oaks, and the winner will take first place in the district standings. The crowd showed up big time for Grand Oaks as the home team, prompting…
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Continue ReadingIn a playoff atmosphere, The Woodlands faced off for a district match-up against Grand Oaks, and the winner will take first place in the district standings. The crowd showed up big time for Grand Oaks as the home team, prompting Grand Oaks on a 7-1 run to open set 1. The Woodlands have been solid all season, their ball control almost unmatched by anyone. For The Woodlands, Sophomore Ella Lewis Ella Lewis 5'11" | OH The Woodlands | 2025 State TX provided a lot of stability in serve receive, followed by libero Molly Tuozzo Molly Tuozzo 5'7" | DS/L The Woodlands | 2023 State #38 Nation TX . The Woodlands hardly made any errors in the first two sets, propelling them to a quick 2-0 advantage.
Jaela Auguste Jaela Auguste 6'0" | MB Grand Oaks | 2024 State #17 Nation TX took the first swing of the game for Grand Oaks, smashing a ball into the 10-foot line. They were the superior hitting team by far, but The Woodlands kept the ball off the floor. Grand Oaks had some trouble early with defense and serve receive. The first two sets went back and forth, point-for-point, both teams blocking and hitting very well. Grand Oaks came alive in set 3 for a comeback win. Freshman Halle Thompson was instrumental in the 3rd set. She was unstoppable on the outside and came up with two huge stuff blocks late in the set for a major shift in momentum.
In set 4 it was a very close game, with Grand Oaks battling back again late in the set to take it. I was really impressed with Grand Oaks’ Caelyn Emmerling Caelyn Emmerling 6'1" | OH Grand Oaks | 2024 State TX . She came alive on the block and offensively she made some heavy swings on both pins. Halle Thompson and Samara Coleman Samara Coleman 6'0" | OH Grand Oaks | 2025 State #74 Nation TX were hitting heavy from the back row, scoring a lot of offense for Grand Oaks on sets provided by Audrey Terry Audrey Terry 5'6" | S Grand Oaks | 2024 TX . Even though they struggled to get Jaela Auguste Jaela Auguste 6'0" | MB Grand Oaks | 2024 State #17 Nation TX the ball in the 4th, the rest of the offense was able to pull it out. The Woodlands outside hitters Ella Lewis Ella Lewis 5'11" | OH The Woodlands | 2025 State TX and Makenzie Weddel were almost unstoppable. They were hitting right in the split of Grand Oak’s block on some really fast sets provided by Claire Dewine Claire Dewine 6'1" | S The Woodlands | 2023 State TX .
Some other memorable pay makers were The Woodlands’ middle blocker Sophie Jones. Sophie was instrumental in keeping Grand Oaks’ outsides in check, getting lots of quality touches and blocks. Grand Oak’s Cali Reece Cali Reece 5'7" | DS/L Grand Oaks | 2026 State TX came up huge in serve receive in the 5th set, passing against The Woodlands best server Molly Tuozzo Molly Tuozzo 5'7" | DS/L The Woodlands | 2023 State #38 Nation TX .
Claire Dewine Claire Dewine 6'1" | S The Woodlands | 2023 State TX was a big part of the 5 set thriller win for The Woodlands. She was the full picture, setting, hitting, and blocking all very well. But with both teams being so close in skill offensively, it came down to ball control and defense. Some stellar defending and passing by Molly Tuozzo Molly Tuozzo 5'7" | DS/L The Woodlands | 2023 State #38 Nation TX and Ella Lewis Ella Lewis 5'11" | OH The Woodlands | 2025 State TX were ultimately the key to The Woodland’s eventual success late in the 5th set. These two teams will meet one more time this season, we expect nothing less than another high-intensity, heavy-hitting, big blocking matchup.