Four nationally ranked volleyball teams will take the court Friday night for the Class 6A state semifinals at the Curtis Culwell Center in Garland.
That includes Trophy Club Byron Nelson, ranked No. 3 in America by PrepVolleyball.com.
Under Armour first-team All-American Paige Flickinger has led Byron Nelson (48-2) to the first state tournament appearance in school history by recording a team-leading 749 kills (5.5 per set) and 774 digs (5.7 per set). The LSU signee, last year’s Gatorade state player of the year, looks to continue one of the most dominant seasons in state history at 5 p.m. Friday when she faces first-time state tournament qualifier Schertz Clemens (44-4), ranked No. 47 nationally.
Flickinger won’t be the only star playing in that match. UCLA pledge Charitie Luper (450 kills, 472 digs) and Wyoming pledge Payton Chamberlain (1,836 assists, 131 blocks) are two of the top players in the state, and Arizona signee Shelby O’Neal (558 kills) is an honorable mention Under Armour All-American for Schertz Clemens.
Fort Bend Ridge Point (46-4), ranked No. 19 in the nation, will play No. 32 Plano West (39-5) in Friday’s 7 p.m. 6A semifinal that is a rematch of last season’s semifinal that Ridge Point won in four sets en route to a state runner-up finish. Friday’s rematch features six players who earned Under Armour All-America recognition — Kentucky signee Reagan Rutherford (first team), Texas A&M pledge Claire Jeter (second team) and Rice signee Nia McCardell (third team) of Ridge Point and UCLA signee Iman Ndiaye (second team), DePaul signee Jill Pressly (honorable mention) and Miami signee Noelle Piatas (honorable mention) of Plano West.
Lovejoy will be making its 10th state tournament appearance, most among Dallas-area teams. Lovejoy (46-5), which has won six state championships and was the 5A state runner-up last year, will play a 5A state semifinal at 1 p.m. Friday against Friendswood (34-17), which is also at state for the 10th time.
Kennedale (37-7) will be playing at state for the first time and will face Lamar Fulshear (43-4) in a 4A semifinal at 7 p.m. Thursday. Fulshear is ranked No. 2 in the state in 4A, but Maddie Pyles and Bryley Steinhilber have combined for 847 kills and Lilly Rychlik has 809 assists for a Kennedale team that has won 19 matches in a row.
