Cardiac Coogs strike again as Cinco Ranch rallies to top Cy-Fair in area round

KATY—The Cardiac Coogs did it again.

For the second straight playoff game, Cinco Ranch rallied in dramatic, if not thrillingly brilliant, fashion, this time shocking District 17-6A champion Cy-Fair, 3-2 (23-25, 25-22, 24-26, 25-21, 17-15), in a Region III-6A area playoff nail-biter Thursday at the Merrell Center.

After coming back from a 2-0 deficit in the bi-district round Tuesday to stun a stacked and loaded George Ranch team, Cinco Ranch dug itself a 2-1 hole before storming back and ending the Bobcats' season in the area round for the third time in four years.

"When the pressure is on, we rise to the occasion," Cinco Ranch coach Danielle Wells said. "It's like we play better when the pressure is on, which is weird. We'd like to play well the whole time, but we're just fighting through adversity right now."

Cinco Ranch (20-17) moves on to play District 19-6A rival Katy in the regional quarterfinals at 5 p.m. Tuesday at the Merrell Center.

The Cougars have only four seniors on their roster, and just two see significant playing time. Two freshmen and three sophomores are big-time contributors.

But for the second straight season, after finishing fourth in 19-6A, Cinco Ranch is in the regional quarters, and that's largely because of the leadership of returners Courtney O'Brien, Emily Presley, Catalina Martinez and Camryn Moon, and a deep, versatile lineup of hitters.

Down 2-1, Cinco Ranch changed things up. The Cougars started single-blocking in the back row, instead of double-blocking, and put three players in the back, with wings coming in to help defensively. They also changed to where they were hitting in the attack.

In the decisive fifth set, nine different Cougars recorded points. Five had at least two points.

"It's awesome," said O'Brien, who led Cinco Ranch with 19 kills and four aces. "It's wonderful to be able to rely on everyone to do everything. It's nice that we can rely on everyone to do their job."

The Cougar who put away one of the best games played this season was a sophomore reserve, Makenna Loo.

Loo took a perfect set from Martinez and delivered a hard shot cross-court toward the back right corner that ricocheted off Cy-Fair junior libero Emily Riley.

"We started aiming (shots) toward the corner of the court because it was wide open," Loo said. "I just went for it."

Wells said she was proud of the youngster, and added the point was not just big for the moment, obviously, but for Loo's future.

"She's a competitor," Wells said. "She's always ready to go. She came off the bench and executed, and that's what we need. She did her job and did it well. She can look back at this game and know she can get it done, so it's good experience for her."

Three Cougars had 10 or more kills: O'Brien, and sophomores Emily Killam (10) and Shea Rainosek (10). Killam and Rainosek added four and three blocks, respectively. Martinez and Presley had seven kills each. Loo and Moon had five kills each.

The wealth of production was too much for Cy-Fair to eventually overcome, though senior Madison Hrncir played heroically, almost winning the game single-handily for the Bobcats in the fifth set.

Hrncir had a game-high 26 kills, seven coming in the fifth set. Her consistent power hitting and relentless defensive play were awe-inspiring.

It just wasn't enough.

"We're constantly reminding each other that this is our game," O'Brien said "We love playing volleyball. This is what we do every day of our lives, so it comes back to the simple things and playing volleyball and putting the ball away."

Wells has a team that has been under pressure many times the last two seasons against elite competition.

The Cougars beat regional power Ridge Point and Cy-Fair last season before falling to eventual state champ Seven Lakes. George Ranch finished second in 20-6A this season and was 28-13 entering Tuesday's game against Cinco Ranch.

The Cougars know what they're capable of doing when stakes are high.

"We really stick together," Loo said. "We're all so young and we're not as progressed as everyone else, but we're really close and we fight for every single point. We lift each other up."

They know what it takes to win close, competitive games. They're coached to thrive in those situations.

Assistant coach Stephanie Thapar said she and Wells push players to "make it look like you're just starting, not like you're finishing" when campus athletic coordinator Chris Dudley is around toward the end of practices.

It's a mindset to make their last as strong, if not finer, than their first.

"Always push when it's the last rep. Always push when it's the last sprint," Wells said. "Finish as strong as you started. Right now is when we want to peak. The playoffs is where you've got to rise and shine."

She doesn't have to tell her players twice. They're shining.

THURSDAY'S VOLLEYBALL PLAYOFF RESULTS

CLASS 6A REGION II

The Woodlands 3, Cypress Ranch 0

Klein 3, Grand Oaks 1

CLASS 6A REGION III

Ridge Point 3, Memorial 1

Pearland Dawson 3, Kingwood 0:

Katy 3, Cypress Creek 1

Cinco Ranch 3, Cy-Fair 2

Deer Park 3, Pearland 2

Clear Springs 3, Atascocita 1

CLASS 5A REGION III:

Friendswood 3, Lamar Consolidated 0

CLASS 4A REGION III

Thursday: Huffman 3, Sealy 0

Thursday: Bridge City 3, El Campo 0

Thursday: Needville 3, Pleasanton 1