The Tem-Cats (20-20, 6-5 in 12-5A) kept their playoff hopes alive, staying within a match of Belton and Copperas Cove, who share third place in the district standings.
“I was proud of the way the girls kept fighting and played through some adversity when things didn’t go their way,” Temple coach Susie Hughlett said. “They didn’t quit. You could tell from the start that they really wanted to win this one.”
Pickett had 12 kills, 10 assists, seven digs, three aces and two blocks to anchor the Tem-Cats, who got eight kills and two blocks from Patti Kabobel.
Shantae Hewins added seven kills and seven aces. Ashley Schlieper tallied 15 assists, seven digs and five aces. Kacie Easley posted 12 digs and three kills, and Faith Thompson chipped in six kills.
Temple will host district leader College Station A&M Consolidated at 6:30 p.m. Tuesday at Wildcat Gym.
Belton downs Copperas Cove, grabs share of third in 12-5A
BELTON - With the Belton volleyball team in dire need of a win to keep its hopes of finishing second in District 12-5A alive, Lady Tigers coach Justeen Patton saw something in her team that had been missing: heart.
The Lady Tigers prevented a fifth game with a late comeback in the fourth to beat Copperas Cove 25-17, 17-25, 25-13, 26-24 Friday night at Tiger Gym.
“I told them before we went out, ‘Do you want to be second or fourth?’ That seemed to get them fired up,” Patton said.
Belton (18-12) improved to 7-4 in district, tied with Copperas Cove (24-15, 7-4) for third. Bryan (20-14, 8-3) remains a match ahead after sweeping Killeen Ellison on Friday. The Lady Vikings still have a key match against unbeaten College Station A&M Consolidated in the regular-season finale.
Belton, Cove and Bryan split their season series with each other, setting up a possible three-way tie for second.
Cove grabbed a 24-22 lead in the fourth game on a kill by Michelle Blount and appeared ready to send it to a deciding game.
Tilatha Akins responded for the Lady Tigers, putting a block down for a point to make it 24-23. Then Grace Weaver (13 kills, 20 digs) launched an attack long down the line that would have given Cove the game. After the officials consulted, they ruled a Lady Bulldawg defender touched the ball and the score was tied at 24.
Belton’s Becca Owen (11 kills, 22 digs) smacked a kill from the back row for a 25-24 lead before Cove’s Sapphire Reid made an attacking error to give the Lady Tigers a much-needed victory.
“They showed how much they wanted it tonight,” Patton said.
The Lady Tigers host Harker Heights on Tuesday.
