CONROE — The Keandra McCardell era is off to a impressive start for Conroe’s volleyball program.
The Tigers notched a pair of wins in their tri-match home season opener Monday afternoon at Conroe High, routing Lufkin in a sweep before dismissing Montgomery, 3-1.
“I thought they hustled tremendously,” said McCardell, a first-time head coach and former University of Houston standout. “They never gave up on the play. They were falling into bleachers going for balls. Everybody was in it and ready to give their all.”
McCardell loved the discipline her girls showed, especially after only playing two scrimmages.
“It’s very important,” she said. “They were very good getting to the right spots.”
In posting a school-record 44 wins and winning its first playoff game last year, Conroe leaned heavily on superstar outside hitter Ariana Brown.
Brown is now playing for the University of Louisiana-Monroe. So this year’s Tigers have a vastly different make-up, more diverse in their attack.
Against Montgomery, junior Natalia Johnson had 11 kills. Junior Kendall Glover had 10 kills and two block. Senior Brooklyn Spikes had six kills, two aces and three blocks. Senior Sophia Murray had six kills and four aces.
“I think everybody stepped up in their own sense,” McCardell. “Everybody did their job to the best of their ability. That’s what a team is. That’s how we’re going to win.”
Montgomery, which also swept Lufkin earlier in the day, gave Conroe all it could handle, falling 21-25, 26-24, 20-25 and 22-25 to Conroe.
“I was proud of how we fought,” second-year Montgomery coach Stormi Champion said. “I thought they took some stressful situations and continued to be aggressive and not play timid.”
Champion had two priorities coming into this season: Put her team in the best position to close out games stronger and find a starting libero.
The Bears showed what they’re capable of in the clutch when they rallied dramatically to win the second set after falling behind 23-22.
“I’m so proud of the hustle and grit,” Champion said.
Slow starts to sets doomed Montgomery, but it always fought back to make each one a tight contest. There were no easy wins for Conroe.
At the libero spot, Champion was pleased with the play of senior Abby Mullins and junior Ellie Sadler, who shared duties and were terrific getting to balls and keeping rallies alive.
“I feel like I’ve got two solid options and I feel like they both work great,” Champion said. “They’re good competition for each other and they keep each other working hard. I would like to find one (starter), but I don’t mind sharing both. They both do a phenomenal job.”
Freshman outside hitter Delaney Wright was phenomenal for the Bears with nine kills, two aces and a block.
“She’s a go-getter,” Champion said. “She’s confident. She’s not scared. Her volleyball IQ is beyond her years. She sees the court really well.”
Junior Mckenzie Hope led the way with 10 kills and two blocks. Senior Etta Henson also had nine kills with an ace.
“Our chemistry is starting to work,” Champion said. “They’re starting to feel each other out and really trust each other, which we’ve struggled with in the past. They’re starting to do a great job with that.”
