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Coming off a perfect 6-0 week, including a dominant win against Fulshear, the top-ranked team in Region III, Varsity saw rankings hype roll. Stratford was ranked 3rd by MaxPreps and 4th by Texas Volleyball Insiders among state 6A teams. Determined not to lose focus, the Spartans locked in for a pair of matchups to continue their preparation for the upcoming District season.
vs. Fort Bend Travis
First up, Varsity traveled to Fort Bend Travis to take on yet another perennial playoff opponent. The Spartans immediately faced an onslaught, as the Tigers took a 1-7 lead, and Stratford was forced to take a timeout to regroup. Varsity clawed its way back into the set on the strength of scores by Sarah Hickman, Avery Kent, Gwen Koss, and Tess Stephenson. Stratford traded the lead several times before sealing the set at 25-23 on a Koss kill.
A pair of Hickman kills opened up a small 5-3 lead in the second set before scores by Hickman, Stephenson, Audrey Cook, and Lauren Dunwoody and some Travis errors opened up a 15-6 lead that forced a Tiger timeout. Three Koss points out of the break put things out of reach, and a monster block by Hickman and Milena Miladinovic and an ace by Caroline White forced another timeout at 20-8. Scores by Cook and Jenna Rae James set up and defense by Logan Sykes and Brooke McAfee set up a Hickman score on set point at 25-14.
Eager to head back home, Varsity jumped out to a 10-1 lead, including a Miladinovic put-back, two Hickman scores, and four points by Koss. Multiple scores each by Hickman, Koss, Cook, Dunwoody, and Sydney Pera brought the set quickly to match point, which was sealed by a Dunwoody push shot to the corner at 25-7.
Social Tailgate
On Thursday, all of Stratford Volleyball gathered next to the gym to have their annual tailgate. The event offered players, coaches, and families a chance to get to break bread together and play games, getting to know each other outside the pressure and noise of the gym.
vs. Summer Creek
Finishing off the week was a home matchup against the Summer Creek Bulldogs, a team that has qualified for the playoffs each year since 2018. After trading off several points, Stratford finally broke things open to 16-7 thanks to an 8-0 run on the strength of points by Hickman, Koss, Miladinovic, and Cook. A Hickman kill and a pair of Cook scores closed things out in the first set at 25-18.
The Spartans dug themselves a hole early in the second set until a Koss ace tied things up at 7-7 and a pair of Koss kills gave Varsity a 12-11 lead they wouldn’t relinquish. More scores by Stephenson, Koss, Miladinovic, and Hickman built up a 21-16 lead that forced a Bulldog timeout. A Hickman kill from a Dunwoody dig closed out the set at 25-19.
Scores by Hickman, Miladinovic, and Dunwoody opened up a 7-3 lead in the third set that the Spartans would not relinquish. Additional scores by Stephenson and Sykes set up a pair of Koss kills that forced a Bulldog timeout at 13-6. A string of scores by Hickman, a thunderous Kent kill, a monster block by Cook on a joust, and a superb Koss kill off a well-placed crosscourt set from Sykes brought things to 21-16. Three Koss kills closed things out in the third and final set at 25-18.
This week's stats include:
Varsity (16-1) has a busy week on tap, hosting a strong Kingwood squad on Tuesday and traveling to the Clear Creek ISD Tournament for a series of games Thursday through Saturday.