Texas HS: George Ranch vs. Foster

District play is quickly progressing in the high school volleyball season in the state of Texas as in less than a month from now we'll know the teams that will earn the right to compete at the State Tournament, where the champions will be crowned.   We, at Prep Dig, are excited to cover another season here in Texas and will try to be in as many matches as possible over the next two months to follow the journeys of the many rising stars in our state, providing coverage that includes articles, photos and social media highlights.   On Tuesday, October 15, we went to Richmond, where the George Ranch Longhorns and the Foster Falcons met in a District 20 match.   <ul class="wp-block-list"> <li><a href="https://prepdig.com/2024/10/texas-hs-george-ranch-vs-foster-photos/">Texas HS: George Ranch vs. Foster - Photos</a></li> </ul>   Foster had a dominant start on the road, taking the first two sets, but saw George Ranch come back and level the score. The Falcons were stronger in the fifth set and secured a 3-2 (25-19, 25-20, 22-25, 18-25, 15-7) victory. They now have a 26-9 win record for the season and are third in the district with five wins and one loss. The Longhorns have 20 wins and 16 losses in the season and are in third place in the district, with three wins and three losses.   <h2 class="wp-block-heading">Top Performers</h2>    The junior outside hitter had an excellent all-around performance, leading Foster to victory in a very difficult match with contributions coming in different ways. Lechler was the team's main scorer, registering 19 kills, and was truly impressive offensively, swinging with power from the left and the middle back position. She was also very active on the backcourt, producing 19 digs and handled her passing duties efficiently. A six-footer, the outside hitter had a strong presence at the net defensively as well, registering a team-high four blocks.    <figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img src="https://prepdig.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2024/10/IMG_0061.jpg?w=1024" alt="" class="wp-image-706222" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">George Ranch vs. Foster</figcaption></figure>    The junior setter showed once again why she's a key piece for the Falcons with a tremendous performance. Knipling's ball handling was on point as she produced 33 assists and was very smart with her ball distribution. The setter also notched ten digs and two aces and played a very important leadership role, encouraging and calming her teammates down in moments of pressure. Near the end of the match, Knipling started operating as a hitter when she was at the end and left he court with eight kills, many of which were in setter dumps.    <figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img src="https://prepdig.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2024/10/IMG_0156.jpg?w=1024" alt="" class="wp-image-706238" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">George Ranch vs. Foster</figcaption></figure>    Foster's libero was another one to shine in their hard-fought victory with a solid display from start to finish. Holchak led the team's serve-receive efforts with great efficiency, covering a large chunk of the court and covering her teammates when she could. The senior was excellent with her defensive reading and registered an impressive 25 digs, many of them controlling hard-driven swings from George Ranch's powerful pin hitters on the left back position. Holchak also did a good job at the service line, producing an ace and having long serving runs.    <figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img src="https://prepdig.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2024/10/IMG_0184.jpg?w=1024" alt="" class="wp-image-706242" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">George Ranch vs. Foster</figcaption></figure>    The junior outside hitter fulfilled her role in the team, using her superior backcourt skills to keep Foster's game steady. She was very productive with her passing and also contributed 13 digs. Kohn wasn't as active offensively, notching just three kills, but also avoided errors, even when under pressure, except for a brief moment on set four. She was the team's second-best server with four aces and, more importantly, had a long serving at the start of the fifth set that paved the way for Foster's victory.    <figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img src="https://prepdig.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2024/10/IMG_0200.jpg?w=1024" alt="" class="wp-image-706244" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">George Ranch vs. Foster</figcaption></figure>    The senior outside hitter had somewhat of a slow start, but then found her rhythm and played as the elite offensive player she is. Bryant was unstoppable at times, using her length to hit over the top of opposing blockers and producing at a very high volume. She also had a very strong blocking presence, getting a lot of touches and stops at the net. Her passing wasn't always perfect, but Bryant didn't get in trouble with it either, managing to send at least playable balls to her setter when she struggled.    <figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img src="https://prepdig.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2024/10/IMG_0190.jpg?w=1024" alt="" class="wp-image-706243" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">George Ranch vs. Foster</figcaption></figure>    The junior outside hitter had a steady and consistent night, keeping her level of play linear during the match. Coy was an important offensive weapon for the Longhorns and did a good job with her shot selection, mixing up hard-driven swings and well-placed tips and roll shots. Her passing was very reliable and she also had a good success rate with her defensive action. Coy did a fine job from the service line too, going on good runs in key moments of the match.    <figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img src="https://prepdig.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2024/10/IMG_0123.jpg?w=1024" alt="" class="wp-image-706231" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">George Ranch vs. Foster</figcaption></figure>    George Ranch's right side hitter didn't stand out for her production or power, but she was very important in the team's reaction in the match. Despite not being very tall, it seemed like Robbins would always find a way to score in moments of pressure, be it by using her vision to find a nice spot for a tip or by hitting difficult angles to avoid opposing blockers. She also did a very good job of avoiding errors at the net.

District play is quickly progressing in the high school volleyball season in the state of Texas as in less than a month from now we'll know the teams that will earn the right to compete at the State Tournament, where the champions will be crowned.