Lady Leps Move Into First Place Tie
It just took the longest set anyone in the gym could remember to get there.
La Grange swept Giddings 25-21, 25-16, 32-30 in volleyball Friday as the Lady Leps moved back into a first place tie with the Lady Buffs. Those first two sets Friday were pretty normal, but that third one was the stuff of legend.
“I don’t think I’ve ever seen a set that’s gone to 32,” said La Grange head volleyball coach Leslie Coltrain. “That is the fight and the heart that I knew was in these kids.” Maddi Fritz had a team-high 21 kills for La Grange. Hailey Hill added 13 and Camille Gonzalez had nine.
In that fateful third set Giddings was up 17-12 only to see La Grange roar back in a flurry of Fritz kills. Hill then took over and had three kills in a four point span to put La Grange up 24-23. Four times the Lady Leps served for set point, but Giddings fired back each time as the teams went back and fourth in the extra time, trying to win by the required two points. Finally Giddings scored back-to-back points to go up 29-28. Twice they served for set point only to be turned back by La Grange. Two perfectly places shots by Hill and Fritz ended the match in a triumphant celebration on the court for the Lady Leps and a huge crowd that had travelled north for the match.
“Nobody got down, we just kept fighting like we know we can,” said La Grange defensive specialist Jena Jobb, who had a team-high 17 digs Friday. Fritz added 15 digs and Hill had 12. Fritz also led in assists with 24 and Hill had 17. Gonzalez had two aces.
Friday’s victory avenges a four-set loss to Giddings La Grange suffered a month ago that had left the Lady Buffs all alone in the standings until Friday.
“We had a really good week of preparation,” Coltrain said. “I knew they were focused. I knew they were prepared and they just had to execute, and they did.”
Friday’s win improves the Lady Leps’ overall record to 2518 and 10-1 in district. The Lady Leps host Manor New Tech at 6 p.m. Tuesday while Giddings (29-15) plays at Caldwell. La Grange and Giddings have tied for the district title each of the last two seasons. If they remain tied again this season, they would likely play a tiebreaker match to determine playoff seeding.
La Grange JV lost to Giddings 25-19, 25-23 District record 10-1; Overall record 17-11 La Grange Freshmn defeated Giddings 16-25, 25-16, 15-12 District record 7-2; Overall record 16-11
District 22-4A Volleyball
La Grange 10-1 Giddings 10-1 Caldwell 7-4 Taylor 6-5 Smithville 3-7 Manor NT 1-9 Austin Achieve 0-10