Cinco Ranch Lady Cougars Skin the Lady Bulldogs

Cinco Ranch's starter MB Carrie Gurnell (23) signals team

mates during match against the Magnolia Lady Bulldogs.

The undefeated and confident (13-0) Cinco Ranch Lady Cougars came into the Dawg House with a #4 ranking in Texas 5A volleyball and probably wondered what all the talk was about with this 11-1 volleyball team from Magnolia. After all, Magnolia has been on their schedule for some time and the name has been getting around a little lately - and most recently: Magnolia and Cinco Ranch are 2 of the 4 teams left in the semi-finals for the Spring Branch Tournament to be settled on 8/27 . Cinco Ranch had just come off a lackluster victory (by their own standards) match (26-24 and 26-24) against FB Austin earlier this morning and maybe were questioning themselves a 'little-bit' about how they would perform against the unknown Lady Bulldogs. Maybe the Lady Cougars questioned whether they were over-confident and possibly would come out and play 'flat' or have 'let-downs', or maybe they questioned themselves if they even had enough stamina to possibly play 5 exhaustive games, etc....well, not to worry. Any doubts would quickly go away.

Kelli Stewart (18) and Michele Williams (23)

double up on Cinco Ranch MB senior Katie Sanders.

The Lady Cougars swept the Lady Bulldogs out of their own Dawg House in 3 games (25-9 ouch!, 26-24, and 25-20) and gave the Lady Bulldogs and their fans a glimpse of maybe what the future holds for them. The Lady Cougars' Katie Sanders had 15 kills and Alicia Shaffer had 12 kills and Lauren Michael chipped in 8 along with 14 Digs for the Lady Bulldogs.

It was obvious to all, that the level of experience was the over-riding factor in their decisive victories. There's just no substitute for 'experience'. This intangible resource cannot be coached, bought, given, or whatever. The key is simply: "repetition" - putting the 'time in', working the reps, doing fundamentals hundreds or thousands of times or until it becomes second-nature, playing in pressure situations, playing with your back against the wall, playing together for years, etc.

The Lady Cougars apparently had already been where the Lady Bulldogs are now and some parents were even overheard saying, "this is the year they've (Cinco Ranch) been working for." Friday night the Lady Bulldogs were no match for Cinco Ranch, but there's always tomorrow (literally). If the Lady Bulldogs are able to use this match, this experience, as a learning process, to use it and to grow as a team from this - then there shouldn't be any reason the Lady Bulldogs can't take 'em on the next one!

As soon as I get some stats, I'll pass them along...Sat 8/27 at 10:30 AM the Lady Bulldogs will be facing Katy Taylor at the Don Coleman Coliseum. The Ladies have already reached un-chartered waters for the program at Magnolia High School...I'm told no Magnolia volleyball team has ever gone this far at this tournament which showcases most of the top teams in the Houston area. This team is special and will continue to get even better...

GO LADY BULLDOGS !! BULLDOG PRIDE !! BULLDOG SPIRIT !!