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Courtesy Photo by Nicole Flowers
August 28, 2023
Lady Bulldogs finish fourth at Southwest ISD Tourney
By Brady Keane
The Bandera Prophet
The Bandera volleyball team continued to shine in preparation for District 27-4A play, as the Lady Bulldogs competed in the Southwest ISD Tournament Aug. 24-26, finishing fourth in the gold bracket among competition dominated by Class 5A and Class 6A programs.
Bandera finished 5-4 over the course of three days to move to 16-11 on the season with two weeks to go before the start of district play.
“We faced some tough opponents and battled through fatigue, yet our players maintained their focus and supported another in a truly commendable way,” head coach Sananda Molina said. “Our district opponents won’t be ready for us, but we’ll be ready for them. A 4th place finish in a competitive tournament like this is a testament to their hard work and dedication.”
After defeating Jourdanton in a competitive five-set match on Tuesday, the Lady Bulldogs opened play in the Southwest Tournament with two consecutive wins after an initial loss to San Antonio LEE (13-25, 16-25). Bandera bounced back with a 22-25, 25-22, 25-17 win over San Antonio Roosevelt behind a strong defensive effort from senior libero Ashlyn Mott.
From there, junior setter Ally Kline posted a team-high nine kills to help the Lady Bulldogs knock off Cole (25-12, 25-17) in straight sets.
“Our players exhibited remarkable dedication and adaptability,” Molina said. “They showcased the results of their hard work in practice and their ability to execute under pressure.”
Bandera continued to shine and earned a spot in the Gold Bracket on Day 2 after sweeping Class 5A Southwest Legacy (26-24, 25-11). The Lady Bulldogs fell to Southwest (23-25, 17-25) and East Central (25-17, 24-26, 24-26) but had standout performances from senior Izabel Kennedy, junior Jayla Blake, junior Kinlee Lawlis, sophomore Taytum Moeller and sophomore Hannah Wells.
“Our team demonstrated resilience and a strong sense of purpose today,” Molina said. “They executed their game plan with precision and maintained a positive attitude throughout. Advancing to the gold bracket is a testament to their hard work and determination.”
Lawlis posted a team-high 12 kills and freshman Sidney Moore had two well timed blocks to help the Lady Bulldogs defeat Class 6A John Jay (25-22, 25-21) to advance to the Gold Bracket semifinals on Saturday, but a quick turnaround saw Bandera fall to LEE in a close 23-25, 20-25 finish.
The Lady Bulldogs then again had to play with no rest in the third-place game, falling to Sotomayor 25-20, 14-25, 22-25 to finish fourth in the Gold Bracket. Lawlis was named to the all-tournament team for a second consecutive week after a consistent showing from start to finish.
Bandera, now 16-11, will return to the court Tuesday on the road at Marion. The Lady Bulldogs are then scheduled to play at home Friday against Cotulla for senior night.
Bandera finished 5-4 over the course of three days to move to 16-11 on the season with two weeks to go before the start of district play.
“We faced some tough opponents and battled through fatigue, yet our players maintained their focus and supported another in a truly commendable way,” head coach Sananda Molina said. “Our district opponents won’t be ready for us, but we’ll be ready for them. A 4th place finish in a competitive tournament like this is a testament to their hard work and dedication.”
After defeating Jourdanton in a competitive five-set match on Tuesday, the Lady Bulldogs opened play in the Southwest Tournament with two consecutive wins after an initial loss to San Antonio LEE (13-25, 16-25). Bandera bounced back with a 22-25, 25-22, 25-17 win over San Antonio Roosevelt behind a strong defensive effort from senior libero Ashlyn Mott.
From there, junior setter Ally Kline posted a team-high nine kills to help the Lady Bulldogs knock off Cole (25-12, 25-17) in straight sets.
“Our players exhibited remarkable dedication and adaptability,” Molina said. “They showcased the results of their hard work in practice and their ability to execute under pressure.”
Bandera continued to shine and earned a spot in the Gold Bracket on Day 2 after sweeping Class 5A Southwest Legacy (26-24, 25-11). The Lady Bulldogs fell to Southwest (23-25, 17-25) and East Central (25-17, 24-26, 24-26) but had standout performances from senior Izabel Kennedy, junior Jayla Blake, junior Kinlee Lawlis, sophomore Taytum Moeller and sophomore Hannah Wells.
“Our team demonstrated resilience and a strong sense of purpose today,” Molina said. “They executed their game plan with precision and maintained a positive attitude throughout. Advancing to the gold bracket is a testament to their hard work and determination.”
Lawlis posted a team-high 12 kills and freshman Sidney Moore had two well timed blocks to help the Lady Bulldogs defeat Class 6A John Jay (25-22, 25-21) to advance to the Gold Bracket semifinals on Saturday, but a quick turnaround saw Bandera fall to LEE in a close 23-25, 20-25 finish.
The Lady Bulldogs then again had to play with no rest in the third-place game, falling to Sotomayor 25-20, 14-25, 22-25 to finish fourth in the Gold Bracket. Lawlis was named to the all-tournament team for a second consecutive week after a consistent showing from start to finish.
Bandera, now 16-11, will return to the court Tuesday on the road at Marion. The Lady Bulldogs are then scheduled to play at home Friday against Cotulla for senior night.