Houston Area 2025 HS Previews: District 18

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>After almost eight months of intense action around the country, the club volleyball season came to an end two weeks ago, with the USA Volleyball Girls Junior National Championship taking place in Dallas.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The prospects from Texas won't, however, have a lot of time to breathe and relax after defending their club teams, as, in just over a month, on August 11, the high school volleyball season is about to begin in the Lone Star State, with the first matches of the University Interscholastic Legue (UIL) being held.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>As in the past years, Prep Dig Texas will continue to follow the action closely in the Houston area, attending multiple matches every week and providing comprehensive coverage, with analysis, photos and social media posts from each of them.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>It should be another exciting season, filled with highly-contested matches and strong individual performances, and, before August 11 arrives, we'll preview each district in the Houston area so you know exactly what to expect from each team competing:</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline">District 18</span></strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Bellaire</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Bellaire were a force in the region last season, taking the district title with an undefeated campaign of 12 wins and just two sets lost. The Lady Cardinals made it past the first round of the Division 1 playoffs, but fell to Fulshear in the area round and ended their season with 25 wins and ten losses. The team will return in 2025 without outside hitter Bentley Sloan, liberos Christine Dimacali and Darian Prince and setter Caitrin Tan, who graduated. The team will have its core formed by senior outside hitter [player_tooltip player_id='805331' first='Lucy' last='Bannerman'], junior outside hitter [player_tooltip player_id='805385' first='Olivia' last='Wang'], junior middle [player_tooltip player_id='845462' first='Eva' last='Muscal'], sophomore middle [player_tooltip player_id='845164' first='Grace' last='Jackson'], junior setter Allison Barker and junior libero Claire Canon.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Chavez</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Chavez were the first team below the playoff qualification line, ranking fifth with four wins and eight losses. The Lobos kept the same win ratio for the entire season, ending their campaign with seven victories and 14 defeats. Leading their graduating class were libero/outside hitter Elise Gutierrez and setter/right side Judith Guillen. In the new season, the team will rely on senior middles [player_tooltip player_id='819104' first='Jazlyn' last='Eguiluz'] and [player_tooltip player_id='818034' first='Andrea' last='Saracay'], senior outside hitter [player_tooltip player_id='837223' first='Alyzah' last='Moreno'] and junior libero Penelope Hernandez to get better results.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Heights</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Heights had the third-best campaign in the district in 2024, completing their district schedule with eight wins and four losses. The Lady Bulldogs ended their season with 17 victories and 22 defeats after competing in the Division 2 Playoffs and going down against Memorial in the bi-district round. Setter Gianna Torregrossa was the only player to leave the team due to graduation, ensuring some continuity for Heights in 2025. Entering the season, the team has seniors [player_tooltip player_id='818868' first='Hannah' last='Schmieder'] (middle), McKenzie Dearborne (outside hitter) and [player_tooltip player_id='721722' first='Sienna' last='Valdez'] (libero) and junior outside hitters [player_tooltip player_id='812706' first='Emily' last='Hasbrouck'], [player_tooltip player_id='831717' first='Catherine' last='Penfold'] and [player_tooltip player_id='837992' first='Emma' last='Syphard'] as their main players.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Houston Math, Science and Tech</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Houston Match, Science and Tech won their first district match in years in 2024, but still couldn't avoid the bottom of the district standings, ranking seventh with one win and 11 losses. The team went to win another non-district match and ended the season with two positive results and 14 defeats. The Lady Tigers lost middles Priscilla Rivera, Susan Boeta and Sofia Cortez and libero Alisay Castorena to graduation. Some of their key returners will be senior middle [player_tooltip player_id='818591' first='Destiny' last='Cisneros'], junior libero Alize Bonilla and junior outside hitter Sofia Vasquez.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Lamar</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Lamar had the second-best campaign in the district last season, getting ten wins and two losses against their regional rivals. The Lady Texans found their way to the Division 1 Playoffs, but were taken down by Cy-Fair in the bi-district round and ended the season with 19 wins and 17 losses. Their 2025 roster will look very different after several players graduated, most notably outside hitters Taylor Vaughn, Saule Okeke-Ziburkus and Ire Jones and libero Anya Cloud. Senior setter [player_tooltip player_id='844683' first='Leah' last='Meyer'], senior middle [player_tooltip player_id='820265' first='Rama' last='Diop'], junior middle [player_tooltip player_id='819496' first='Kynedee' last='Streeter'] and junior libero [player_tooltip player_id='803648' first='Jane' last='Lewis'] will be back.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Westside</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Westside claimed the last spot in the playoffs in the district after they ranked fourth with six wins and six losses. The Lady Wolves ended their season with 13 victories and 17 defeats after competing in the Division 2 Playoffs and losing to Stratford in the bi-district round. Setter Erin Stewart and middle Mia Montemayor are among the players who won't be back due to graduation. In 2025, senior middles [player_tooltip player_id='817866' first='Abisola' last='Adebayo'] and [player_tooltip player_id='812269' first='Jessica' last='Anisiobi'], senior outside hitter [player_tooltip player_id='837084' first='Addison' last='Ramirez'] and junior setter Sara Parra will be key pieces for the Lady Wolves.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Wisdom</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>With one victory and 11 losses, Wisdom finished sixth in the district last season. The Lady Generals played just two non-district matches and finished their campaign with one win and 13 defeats. Their graduating class was led by liberos Marie Garduno and Ly'Myia Maiden. Their team for the season will feature the likes of senior setter Anazia Hardy, sophomore middle [player_tooltip player_id='819499' first='Kynnedy' last='Brisco'], senior libero Destiny Marshal and junior outside hitter [player_tooltip player_id='838443' first='Jazmine' last='Martinez'].</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->