Cypress Ranch volleyball pulled off an absolute stunner Saturday evening at Delmar Fieldhouse, coming back from a two-set deficit to beat Austin Lake Travis 21-25, 22-25, 25-18, 25-21, 15-9. That wild victory locked up the program’s first ever state championship appearance.
Cypress Ranch’s Unstoppable Momentum
Talk about momentum, right? The Mustangs, now sitting at a ridiculous 40-7 record, are on an insane 29-match winning streak. Seriously, twenty-nine straight wins! They’re regional champions for a second consecutive season, but this time they’re pushing for the biggest prize. Coach Collea McKinney rallied her squad after Lake Travis had them on the ropes. Lake Travis actually swept Cy Ranch back in August at the Leander Volleypolooza, so the revenge factor and the comeback made this win even sweeter. Now they’re heading to the Curtis Culwell Center in Garland next Saturday at 6 p.m. to face Allen for the UIL Class 6A Division I title. Allen is no slouch either, coming in at 42-2 with a 20-match winning streak of their own and making their first state championship appearance since 2003 after sweeping Duncanville in their semifinal match. This is going to be a battle!
Lake Creek Roars into the Finals, Too
Cypress Ranch isn’t the only Houston-area squad bringing the heat. Lake Creek also punched their ticket, snagging a spot in the Class 5A Division II final. They absolutely rolled New Braunfels, taking them down 25-20, 25-14, 25-20 at the Merrell Center in Katy. These Lions, led by Coach Kayli Kane, are 43-10 and riding a 10-match winning streak. Talk about peaking at the right time! This is their first championship match appearance ever, too. They almost got there in 2022, reaching the semifinals before eventually losing to Colleyville Heritage. This playoff run, though? They’ve swept four of their five opponents. Lake Creek is set to clash with Abilene Wylie (39-4) for the state title at 11 a.m. next Saturday in Garland. Wylie swept Colleyville Heritage in their semifinal, and they won the Class 3A state title in 2013, but this is their first championship run as a 5A program. It’s gonna be epic!
Heartbreak for Tompkins and Columbus
Not every team got to keep the dream alive, unfortunately. Tompkins saw their Class 6A Division II final hopes crushed in a tough 25-16, 23-25, 22-25, 25-21, 15-11 loss to Austin Westlake. The Falcons (32-8) had actually rallied from two sets down themselves earlier this week to beat Fulshear in the regional final, a win that marked Coach Allison Merrell’s 400th career victory. They were making their first state semifinals appearance since 2022, so it stings to come up short. Columbus also had their season end, getting swept 25-17, 25-13, 25-18 by defending state champion Goliad in the Class 3A Division I semifinals.
Next Saturday is going to be HUGE for Cypress Ranch and Lake Creek. Both programs are making their first state championship appearances, bringing insane winning streaks and a ton of heart. You know they’re leaving everything on the court for those titles. Don’t miss it!
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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