State Champs...

After Wylie's 5-set thriller of a volleyball match to make the state finals the day before, it was a wonder how they could top the match they had just played. And, going into the game against #2 ranked La Grange, it was obvious that Wylie would have to play a lot better then they had the day before.

Once again, they came out looking good and winning the first game. Then the two team just went back and forth trading games. Back to another game five. It wasn't looking real good for Wylie from the start. La Grange would jump out to a couple-point lead then Wylie would reel them back in an tie the score. But, the Lady Bulldogs were never able to get the lead. Finally, at the 11th point Wylie took its first lead of the match. A few hitting errors by La Grange and key blocks by Wylie gave the Lady Bulldogs' the school's first state championship in volleyball, which they had only started playing varsity volleyball five years ago.

I've always said it is a lot easier to cover the winning side of the game than the losing side. And, after covering the losing side the past two seasons, this was certainly a lot easier to do, however, I wasn't sure it was going to happen until the final point. The good part about that, is I knew no matter the outcome the emotions were going to be running very high and there would be no shortage of great photos to be made.

State Volleyball Semifinals...

For the third straight year Wylie was playing in the state volleyball tournament. This year was different though. First Wylie was going in as the favorite, being ranked #1 all season long and the team that had beaten them, Lucas Lovejoy, had moved up to Class 4A. On paper this was the Lady Bulldogs' year. And second, the tournament was being played in a new venue in a new city. In the past the tournament was in San Marcos, however with F1 making its return to America in Austin, the state tournament was moved to the Cutris Culwell Center in Garland.

Wylie first game was against Argyle in the semifinals. On paper this should have been a pretty east match for Wylie. But, that's why they don't play the games on paper. Wylie came out pretty strong building a quick lead winning the first two games. Then things started to get tough they lost the next two games and went to a fifth set. Going 5 wasn't unfamiliar for Wylie who had had a 5-set match in both of their state tournament appearances. The problem is, both of their 5-set matches in the past they had lost. This time though, in dramatic fashion, and being only a point away from losing they were able to pull it out. It was an exciting match, to say the least.

State Bound... Again...

Well, after being ranked #1 all season long Wylie was playing for its third straight trip to the state volleyball tournament. What makes it even more amazing is that Wylie has only been playing a varsity volleyball program for five years. So, if they won this match they will have gone to state more than they haven't in the team's history.

However, they were going to have to beat a pretty good Stephenville team, one who they had already beaten twice this season. This was going to both help and hurt the team. The more you play a team the more you learn their strengths and weaknesses. The problem, though, is it happens for both teams. Wylie came out and won the first game pretty easily and I was thinking even Stephenville had played them close both earlier meetings this one may not turn out that way. Then in the second game Wylie lost to tie it up at one game a piece and all of the sudden it was looking like a dog fight.

Half way through the third game it was still looking like a dogfight. But, then Wylie went on a 9-0 run. That pretty much sealed Stephenville's fate and the Lady Bulldogs capitalized on a lot of of mistakes in the fourth game to take the win and qualify for their third straight trip to the state tournament.

Busy Day, Morning Edition...

Last Friday was a busy day. It started out with me going to Snyder to cover Wylie's volleyball team playing Springtown in the semifinals of the region I-3A tournament. This was going to be one of their toughest tests of the playoffs so far. Springtown had some big hitters up front and had dropped down from Class 4A where they were a pretty good program. Plus, Wylie had been ranked #1 in Class 3A all season so, they had they've had a target on their back all season.

The match started out with Wylie jumping out to a quick lead and they ended up winning the first game pretty easily. The next two game Springtown played a lot better but Wylie's biggest strength during their last three years has been the lack of mistakes they've made and the great setting and passing they have. That was the difference between them and Springtown was the superior setting, putting the ball right where it needed to be and fooling the big blockers up front.

The Coliseum in Snyder is a really great place to shoot volleyball in comparison to some of these dark gyms I've been shooting in for most of the season. For one, it has really nice light, a big improvement over most high school gyms. The other thing I like is the stands are really high, looking down on the court. This makes for clean backgrounds and a fresh look on things from what I've shot most of the year. Another thing I really like about shooting in there is the east side of the court is draped from floor to ceiling with a black curtain. It make for just perfect black backgrounds. It's not often I can shoot a whole volleyball match, or any event, and be able to totally control my backgrounds. It's a nice change.

Opening the Postseason...

Hardin-Simmons started what is going to be the first of many post-season volleyball matches I'll cover over the next couple of weeks with a match against East Texas Baptist in the quarterfinals of the American Southwest Conference tournament and then a couple days later with the finals against UT-Dallas. It was the first time in a few weeks that I got to see a competitive match. Lately I've been covering a lot of 3-game sweeps, so to see the team I was covering get pushed to four games was kind of welcome for once. It also left me with more opportunities for pictures.

The first match going four games happened on deadline and while I was glad for the extra time it did make me a little nervous about getting back, but I knew as long as they didn't got to a fifth game, I'd be back in plenty of time. It also gave me plenty of time to get an idea who the hitters and the best defensive players were since this was only the second time in the season I had gotten to shoot them.

For the Cowgirls championship match against UT-Dallas, I was kind of hoping for an extra game since I was getting to the match a little late after having to cover a football game that went to overtime. However, that didn't happen, the teams did stretch every game out about as far as they could though, with all three ending 25-23. I guess that was just as good, besides, I pretty much knew what my photo was going to be and it was going to happen at the end of the match. The great thing I have always like about volleyball is since they celebrate pretty much every point, I know at the end there will certainly be a good celebration there.

I'm Coming Around on Volleyball

When I first started shooting volleyball, I thought it was one of the most difficult sports to shoot. And, while it is still not an easy sport to shoot, I am enjoying covering it a lot more. I guess covering Wylie, the number one Class 3A team in state helps. Though, the way they've just been mowing over the teams they've played so far has made it tough to get some really great stuff since the matches get done so quick. Hopefully now, with the playoffs starting some of the matches will be a little more exciting, and I'll have had enough practice to get decent shots.

State Volleyball, Championship Day, Game 2...

I'll be honest, after seeing Lucas Lovejoy the day before I didn't expect Wylie to have a much of a chance in this game. I was thinking this would be three quick games and Wylie being "just happy to have made it there." I mean, Lovejoy had 5 players over 5'11, most being 6'1-6'2, and they could just KILL the ball. Wylie on the other hand, has no one taller than 5'11 and only one that tall. Wow, I must say the humble pie that I ate at the end of the match was rather bitter. Watching them play was sort of a David vs. Goliath moment. It was really good to see they went down fighting, and Lovejoy was a lot more sore than they had expected.

Given the way that Wylie started out slow in their previous two matches I'd seen them play at state, I thought it would happen again. But the Lady Bulldogs came out swinging and played one hell of a match. The first game they ended up losing very close. Then, they came back and won the next one. I must say, as much as I've complained about volleyball in the past, this may have been one of the best matches I've ever seen. Much like the way my views on soccer changed last year, I think I may be coming around on my views of volleyball (at least the well-played types of games).

They ended up going back and forth and Lovejoy's size difference was mostly being negated by Wylie playing really great and using the great fundamentals that got them there, the good passing, setting and digging that many teams take for granted. In the fourth game Wylie game out guns blazing, taking a big lead quick and while they nearly lost the lead there at the end, they pulled it off and forced a fifth game.

Game five, however, didn't go as expected. Lovejoy took a quick lead, and when the final game only is played to 15, a quick lead is a high mountain to climb. They ended up losing the match, but they did prove they were the second-best team in Class 3A, and with a few breaks the results may have been a little different, but they showed a lot of heart in going down fighting and since the core of the players on the team were juniors or sophomores, I may be making another trip to San Marcos next year. Though I doubt it will be kicking and screaming like I have in the past when given volleyball assignments.