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Ridge Point sweeps defending state champ Seven Lakes, moves on to area round
KATY—The hashtag on social media is "#DefyTheOdds." It personifies Ridge Point volleyball.
Dating back to last year, the Panthers have felt overlooked, unappreciated. Maybe even disrespected? That's been the drive behind this year's team, which craves any and every opportunity to show what it's got.
The Panthers showed plenty Tuesday evening at the Merrell Center. Ridge Point swept defending Class 6A state champ Seven Lakes in their Region III-6A bi-district playoff, 3-0 (25-23, 25-18, 25-23).
It wasn't easy. It was tough. It demanded a lot out of them. But then again, that's how the Panthers want it as they seek a third state tournament appearance in four years.
"We had motivation losing in the first round last year," coach Lauryn Bailey said. "After the 2019 team graduated, people brushed us under the rug. They said we didn't have much talent. We had talent last year; we just couldn't put the pieces together.
"This year, with people counting us out, our girls took that personally. The odds are stacked against us, and we've preached keep working. It showed tonight. At one point we were down six or seven points, and they kept working. That's what we're trying to do.
"We're going to keep working until somebody gets rid of us."
Ridge Point is 34-10, winners of 17 of the last 18 games.
"Our good chemistry off the court really shows on the court," senior Kayla Wilson said. "It shows when we play and hit and swing and set each other up. We're there for each other."
The Panthers got production from everywhere. Six players had five or more kills: senior Alexis Roberson (10 kills, block), junior Sydney Jordan (seven kills, 10 digs), junior Arissa Smith (six kills, three blocks), Wilson (seven kills, block), senior Nina Moorer (five kills, 11 digs, two blocks) and freshman Kennedi Rogers (five kills, block).
Freshman Kennedi Rogers with the shot for @RP_Volleyball. Panthers up 21-18 in the first set. #txhsvb @RP_PantherPridepic.twitter.com/SjgVrT4aOv— Dennis Silva II (@Dennis Silva II) 1635902089
Senior libero Nylah Raspberry, whom Bailey praised as a leader for establishing an accountability within this team that wasn't there last season, was brilliant defensively with 21 digs. Moorer ran the offense with precision, totaling 23 assists.
"From top to bottom, from 14-year-old to 18-year-old, we're all the same," Wilson said. "We're all equally as good. No one thinks they're better than anyone else. That's what I love about this team. We're together."
Seven Lakes went up 11-5 in the third set. Ridge Point rallied back to eventually force an 18-all tie. Then the Spartans went back up by three, 21-18. The Panthers again answered, tying it at 21-all.
From there, Smith had two big points, and sophomore Carrington Cook put the game away with her third point of the game.
Carrington Cook with the capper in what was an amazing third set. @RP_Volleyball wins 25-23 to sweep defending 6A state champ Seven Lakes. #txhsvb @RP_PantherPride @RPHS_Pantherspic.twitter.com/r53CBvz0tc— Dennis Silva II (@Dennis Silva II) 1635906293
"The depth is what makes us so good," Bailey said. "We're able to go to practice every day and compete every day because of our depth. That's because of our seniors, our leadership. They come to work every day at practice and don't let whether you're a freshman or sophomore or whoever affect anything. Everyone comes in, everyone works hard, and we go home. We do what we need to do."
'Keep working,' as Bailey likes to say. The Panthers are surging because of that work, and they're continuing to get better. Defense is turning into offense. The offense is playing at a considerably faster pace than earlier this season.
It's a team of players that makes no excuses and gets the job done. No questions asked.
"Everyone understands they have a job to do," Bailey said. "Nothing is taken personally or emotionally or to heart. They just keep working."
The Net Stars: VYPE Houston Volleyball Players of the Week (8.16.2021)
The opening of the 2021 Texas high school volleyball season started with a bang over the weekend as tournament play returned for the first time since the 2019 season.
Last season, due to COVID-19, teams were not allowed to play in preseason tournaments. But this year, action returned to the courts at the John Turner Classic, the Katy/Cy-Fair Tournament and many others across the city.
Check out which players caught the eye of VYPE in our first Volleyball Players of the Week segment.
Coaches please submit your Player of the Week Nominations each week by Noon on Mondays to joshua.koch@vypemedia.com or DM our Twitter account @VYPEHouston.
Claire DeWine - The Woodlands
Claire DeWine after spending last season at The Woodlands Christian Academy has made an immediate impact on her new team at The Woodlands. The Lady Highlanders went a perfect 10-0 in the opening week, including winning the John Turner Classic. DeWine led the team with 88 kills and 10 aces. She also chipped in a second-best 116 assists and a third-best 63 digs. DeWine is a catalyst to the early success of The Woodlands.
Kamryn Scroggins - Pearland Dawson
Kamryn Scroggins helped guide Pearland to an impressive 9-1 record over the weekend at the John Turner Classic. Scroggins in the 10 matches racked up 155 assists and 67 digs, which both were best on the team.
Bianna Muoneke - Cypress Ranch
Cypress Ranch is off to an 8-1 start on the season after a second-place finish at the Katy/Cy-Fair Tournament this past weekend. The Mustangs fell to SA Brandeis in the title match. The star Mustang was recent Texas A&M-commit Bianna Muoneke. The junior in 21 sets played barreled down 123 kills with 17 aces. Her kills rank as the 5th-most in the state, according to MaxPreps. She also had a second-best 80 digs to her name for the Mustangs.
Nylah Raspberry - Ridge Point
Ridge Point is off to a 7-1 start on the season. Nylah Raspberry's defense is a big key to their success. In just the first 15 sets of her senior season, Raspberry has already recorded an astonishing 194 digs, averaging 12.9 digs/set and 27.7 digs/match. Those numbers are crazy and her digs are No. 2 in the state and nation and her digs per set ranks No. 1 in the country, according to Maxpreps.
Avery Shimaitis - George Ranch
How about entering this week as the leader in kills not just in Houston but the state? Just ask George Ranch's Avery Shimaitis. The senior in 27 sets played racked up an amazing 168 kills, averaging 6.2 kills per set. Her 168 kills ranks No. 2 in the nation.
Morgen Durgens - Clear Springs
What a start for Clear Springs. The Chargers opened the season with eight-straight wins, including knocking off the defending Class 6A State Champs in Seven Lakes in a sweep in the opener. A tournament win over George Ranch and Austin Westlake were also impressive. Sophomore Morgen Durgens was the distributor with 164 assists in 24 sets played, averaging 6.8 assists per set. Clear Springs is off to an 8-2 start.
Samantha Sharer - Kempner HS
Kempner went 6-5 in its opening week of play for the 2021 season. Samantha Sharer had 15 aces 47 kills and 76 digs for the Cougars during the week. The first week closed with a nice three-match winning streak with wins over Cy Lakes, North Shore and Fort Bend Bush.
Coaches please submit your Player of the Week Nominations each week by Noon on Mondays to joshua.koch@vypemedia.com or DM our Twitter account @VYPEHouston.