McKinney North volleyball opened its 9-5A district schedule with a decisive win over Celina, taking the match in three sets with scores of 25-12, 26-24, and 25-13. The victory improved the Lady Bulldogs' district record to 2-0, building on their previous season's achievement of an outright district title.
Head coach Libby Rodriguez noted that the team refocused after a 4-4 record at a tournament in Pearland earlier in August. She stated that the squad engaged in discussions about their competitive identity and emphasized playing for the love of the game. Rodriguez expressed satisfaction with the team's energy and togetherness during the match against the Lady Bobcats.
Serving was a key factor in North's performance, as the team recorded 13 aces. Senior Malia McNeal and sophomore Brynli Burgess contributed to an early 7-2 lead, which expanded into a 12-1 run to secure the first set. Junior Anna Sayman led the team with 15 kills, including seven on the outside and a solo block.
In the third set, sophomore Ella McNeal served five aces, part of a 12-0 run by North. She also finished with six kills, 11 digs, and 13 assists. McNeal capped the set with two kills to end the match. Rodriguez highlighted the team's practice focus on serving as a method to control the pace of the game.
Celina challenged North in the second set, building a 20-16 lead with help from junior Morgan Terry's blocks and sophomore Camdyn Jones' aces. North responded with a 7-1 run, including an ace by McNeal, to take a 23-21 lead. After Celina tied the set at 24-24, a Celina error and a kill by freshman Rayne Johanson secured the set for the Lady Bulldogs.
Rodriguez praised the team's composure and response to mistakes during that segment.
