THE PINNACLE: UIL Volleyball State Final Preview -- Cedar Park vs. Wakeland (5A-D2)
What a year it has been for Cedar Park.
After being eliminated in the foundational rounds of the playoffs over the past few seasons, the Timberwolves (34-15) now see themselves in the UIL State Final for the first time since 2016.
This feat was accomplished on the heels of their 3-1 victory over fellow Austin-area contender Georgetown earlier this week, and there are plenty of flowers to distribute among head coach Lori McLaughlin, her staff, and, of course, the players who made it happen.
Offensive production has been in ample supply, thanks to the efforts of Joy Udoye (571 kills, 349 digs), Mya Cheatum (391 kills), and Sofia Peters (380 kills, 111 blocks).
However, that's not to dismiss the help they've received from the back-line, which is bolstered by the talents of Katelyn Hughes (712 assists, 374 digs), Anna Kurz (447 digs, 134 assists), Sibley Oster (652 assists), and freshman Blake Gilkey (449 receptions, 241 digs).
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On the other side of the net, out of Frisco, TX, Wakeland is making their UIL State Final-debut, following their five-set win against Argyle on Tuesday night.
Given the point they're currently at, the Wolverines (34-6) -- under the direction of coach U'iLani Womble -- are obviously in the midst of the finest performance the program has ever seen.
The No. 12-ranked (No. 22, nationally) team in Texas, according to MaxPreps, is firing on all cylinders at this moment.
Considering that volleyball is a team sport, it's only natural that numerous individuals should receive some praise for this feat.
LSU-commit Hannah Lee (459 kills), and seniors Bella Wood (Sam Houston State // 382 kills) and Sarah Pfiffner (West Virginia // 774 assists, 262 kills, 331 digs) make up the three-headed monster for Wakeland, in terms of star-power.
They're complemented by the talents of Aubree Fernandez (659 digs), Jaleah Bauss (518 assists), and Emerson Jones (68 blocks), which makes them a well-rounded rotation worth fearing.
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This will be undoubtedly be a State match worth watching. Don't miss out when they go head-to-head Saturday (12:00 pm) at the Curtis Culwell Center in Garland, TX.