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Katy swept out of playoffs
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| Katy senior Matte Haack lunges after a ball during the Tigers' three-game loss to Travis in the Region III semifinals Friday night. Times photo Nick Georgandis |
Nick Georgandis
Sports Editor
ALDINE — Of all the players, parents and fans that watched Katy’s regional semifinal defeat Friday night at the Campbell Center, head coach Karen Paxton put it the most succinctly.
“I’ve seen Fort Bend Travis on, and I’ve seen Fort Bend Travis off,” the Tiger head coach said.
“Tonight, they were really on.”
The young Travis squad swept Katy 25-20, 25-17, 28-26 in the Region III semifinals, ending Katy’s season at 34-11.
Travis overwhelmed Katy with a massive block, totalling 14 on the night — 4-1/2 from talented six-foot junior Ashley Bannister.
“She is a dynamic player,” Paxton said.
“Travis came out fired up and wanting to win this thing. We couldn’t match them.”
Travis looked to have big-match jitters to start things off, giving Katy two free points with serves into the net.
But the 23-5A champions quickly recovered and broke a 10-10 tie with five straight points, with Bannister contributing a block and two of her match-high 15 kills.
Katy got within 22-20, but a serve out of bounds quelled the rally and Travis took a 25-20 victory.
In the second game Travis used a similar spring, breaking a 7-7 tie with a 14-6 burst spearheaded by back-to-back solo blocks by sophomore Marissa Maas.
Katy got no close than five points the rest of the way.
It appeared the Tigers could make a match out of it in the third game, getting big plays from Sandra Adeleye, Allison Kingsley and Jessica Acord to claw their way in front 23-22.
But a free-kill opportunity for Acord floated out of bounds to tie the game, and after two more Maas solo blocks, Bannister put down a vicious winner to put Travis into Saturday’s regional final.
“It wasn’t our night,” Paxton said.
“I’m really proud of the season we’ve had and especially of the seniors who have been in this program four years.”
On Tuesday night, Katy continued its mastery of arch-rival Cinco Ranch with a 25-18, 21-25, 25-23, 25-23 victory at the Merrell Center in the regional quarterfinals.
After not beating the Cougars from 2005-2007, the Tigers swept them in four meetings this fall.
Kay junior setter Maddie McKay took the floor for the first time this post-season, shaking off the recovery stages of mononucleosis to notch nine assists and a free kill.
I practiced this week, and the coaches told me it would just depend on the situation if I played or not,” McKay said.
The Tigers’ defense was impressive all night, particularly Matte Haack and Abby Fletcher.
Fletcher, the Tigers’ libero, flung her body all over the court to hold off the attacks of Cinco’s big hitters, including middle Lindsay Miller, who finished with 18 kills.
“I know that no matter how hard the balls are hit, if I get make a play, there’s chance we can score a point,” Fletcher said.
The Cougars finished the season 28-14.
Sports Editor
ALDINE — Of all the players, parents and fans that watched Katy’s regional semifinal defeat Friday night at the Campbell Center, head coach Karen Paxton put it the most succinctly.
“I’ve seen Fort Bend Travis on, and I’ve seen Fort Bend Travis off,” the Tiger head coach said.
“Tonight, they were really on.”
The young Travis squad swept Katy 25-20, 25-17, 28-26 in the Region III semifinals, ending Katy’s season at 34-11.
Travis overwhelmed Katy with a massive block, totalling 14 on the night — 4-1/2 from talented six-foot junior Ashley Bannister.
“She is a dynamic player,” Paxton said.
“Travis came out fired up and wanting to win this thing. We couldn’t match them.”
Travis looked to have big-match jitters to start things off, giving Katy two free points with serves into the net.
But the 23-5A champions quickly recovered and broke a 10-10 tie with five straight points, with Bannister contributing a block and two of her match-high 15 kills.
Katy got within 22-20, but a serve out of bounds quelled the rally and Travis took a 25-20 victory.
In the second game Travis used a similar spring, breaking a 7-7 tie with a 14-6 burst spearheaded by back-to-back solo blocks by sophomore Marissa Maas.
Katy got no close than five points the rest of the way.
It appeared the Tigers could make a match out of it in the third game, getting big plays from Sandra Adeleye, Allison Kingsley and Jessica Acord to claw their way in front 23-22.
But a free-kill opportunity for Acord floated out of bounds to tie the game, and after two more Maas solo blocks, Bannister put down a vicious winner to put Travis into Saturday’s regional final.
“It wasn’t our night,” Paxton said.
“I’m really proud of the season we’ve had and especially of the seniors who have been in this program four years.”
On Tuesday night, Katy continued its mastery of arch-rival Cinco Ranch with a 25-18, 21-25, 25-23, 25-23 victory at the Merrell Center in the regional quarterfinals.
After not beating the Cougars from 2005-2007, the Tigers swept them in four meetings this fall.
Kay junior setter Maddie McKay took the floor for the first time this post-season, shaking off the recovery stages of mononucleosis to notch nine assists and a free kill.
I practiced this week, and the coaches told me it would just depend on the situation if I played or not,” McKay said.
The Tigers’ defense was impressive all night, particularly Matte Haack and Abby Fletcher.
Fletcher, the Tigers’ libero, flung her body all over the court to hold off the attacks of Cinco’s big hitters, including middle Lindsay Miller, who finished with 18 kills.
“I know that no matter how hard the balls are hit, if I get make a play, there’s chance we can score a point,” Fletcher said.
The Cougars finished the season 28-14.
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