Tompkins opens district with sweep of Katy

By Tyler Tyre, Sports Editor
Posted 8/23/22

“It was an awesome way to start off district,” said Tompkins head coach Allison Merrell. “We knew that we had to come out strong tonight, and we were able to do that in spurts. We have to do a little bit more, but it’s early still."

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Tompkins opens district with sweep of Katy

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Tompkins has big goals this season.

The Falcons come off a District 19-6A championship last season and this years team knows they have what it takes to be just as good if not better than their predecessors.

But to do that the Falcons know they have to improve every day and keep proving themselves as they get the best shot from every team that they come across in district.

The first big test for Tompkins came on Tuesday, as they opened district play against a strong Katy team that has had success this year and last year.

Tompkins passed that test with flying colors, as the Falcons swept Katy three sets to zero (25-18, 25-19, 25-13) to start district off on the right foot and prove that they will be a force this season.

“It was an awesome way to start off district,” said Tompkins head coach Allison Merrell. “We knew that we had to come out strong tonight, and we were able to do that in spurts. We have to do a little bit more, but it’s early still and so just figuring out what we have to do to win every time we go out and figure out our focus is the most important thing. “We were able to do that. Now we just need to lock in a little bit better at times, but we’ll get there.”

Tompkins got progressively better throughout the match, as it was back and forth early in the first set before they pulled away before and then were a bit stronger in the second set before Katy mounted a comeback to make things close.

“We really were able to do well with sliding out and our serve receive game,” said senior right side hitter Tendai Titley. “We were able to do that and then we didn’t really ever play flat either which is really important. But we can get a lot better with our serving and in some other areas and it’s going to be important for us to just keep getting better every way we can.”

Tompkins pulled away early in the third set and never let Katy get close as they cruised to the sweep.

The Falcons will look for more as they try to match what they were able to do last year and push for a district championship.

“We want to repeat what we did last year,” Titley said. “Our goal is to be undefeated district champs. That’s the path we’re on, and we have to keep fighting for it every day because we know how big of a goal that is.”

But the most important thing for the Falcons is to stay in the present, and with another big district matchup coming against Cinco Ranch next Tuesday, they know that there have to be improvements as they move forward.

“We have to sharp,” Merrell said. “Cinco is going to come for us, just like every team in this district is going to come for us. We have to be ready for that and we have to play our game. Everyone wants to beat us, and we don’t want to be beat, so it it makes for a really good dynamic. We’re having great practices that are competitive and every player here knows we have to continue to step up our game every time we step in the gym.”

Katy ISD, Tompkins, Katy, volleyball, sports