EDITORS NOTE: Our biggest apologies from the VYPE DFW team for the lack of volleyball coverage. For me specifically, the lack of time and bandwidth has hindered my ability to provide coverage.
It's hard to call a state runner-up a surprise, but having lost a lot of player's from last year's team to graduation, Plano West was able to do just that on Friday night in a 5-set win over the area's, state's and nation's No. 1 team in Flower Mound.
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Back and forth both teams went with West (9-2, 5-1) opening the match with a 25-22 win in the first set, ending Flower Mound's streak of eight straight sweeps. It was only just the second set loss on Flower Mound's ledger at the time.
Flower Mound (9-1, 5-1) battled back to tie things at 1-1 with a 25-19 win in set two, but sure enough, West was able to do it again in the third. Flower Mound once again tied things up after the fourth set, but Plano West was able to start quick in the final frame - a feat both teams had not dealt with all season - jumping out to a 6-1 lead and cruising the fifth set 15-7.
West head coach Jason Waters told the Plano Star Courier after the match that the loss the week before to Marcus definitely help reset the tean's focus. For context, West lost to Marcus 3-1, which lost to Flower Mound 3-0 as part of that eight-game streak.
The match's final point came off a great volley between the two teams and a block Sierra Giambalvo sealed the win.
It's a great litmus test for Plano West, which is looking to get back to State for the third straight year. West's next match is a non-district home matchup with Highland Park (5-5) on Tuesday. Flower Mound is on the road to face Hebron (3-4).