SHEPHERD — There are few things more fitting for a rivalry than the message behind Journey's 1981 classic “Don't Stop Believin'.” Someone will walk away with the win, someone will walk away with a loss, but neither team can stop believing in what comes next.
That spirit was on display on Aug. 18 as the Coldspring Lady Trojans traveled to Shepherd for the annual Battle of San Jacinto County, volleyball edition. As expected, the rivalry brought a packed gym and plenty of energy.
Coldspring came out quickly, putting the first points on the board and appearing ready to set the tone. But Shepherd Head Coach Ashley Brockner quickly called a timeout, regrouped her team and the momentum began to change. From that point forward, the Lady Pirates found their rhythm and never let go. Shepherd swept Coldspring in three sets, taking the opening game 25-13, followed by a 25-16 victory. The third set was much tighter, but the Lady Pirates finished strong, taking the final set 25-21.
For Brockner, the key was exactly what she had asked of her young team, consistency and energy.
“We had a tough weekend. We played in a really big tournament, and our thing tonight was consistency. I think that's exactly what we brought. We brought energy and consistency, and that's all I'm asking from this young team.”
Senior outside hitter Abbey Anderson said the experience from the weekend tournament helped prepare the Lady Pirates for Tuesday's rivalry matchup. Shepherd had faced several 6A programs during the tournament, giving the team valuable experience against high-level competition.
“Tonight we just really worked as a team together after a good Monday practice. It was a good win.”
One of the biggest individual highlights came from Brooklyn White, who put together an impressive serving run of 11 consecutive serves, helping Shepherd maintain control of the match. White was also a force at the net, combining with Aliyah Thomas and Whitney Millage to produce an impressive 21 kills for the Lady Pirates.
The defensive effort was equally important. White teamed with Swayzie Nelson to lead Shepherd with a combined 21 digs, keeping the ball alive and giving the Lady Pirates opportunities to turn defense into offense.
For Coldspring, newly minted Head Coach Krista Jones said Addison Headley was her standout in the games.
Full stats were not immediately available.
