For the first time since the 2023-2024 season, the Ropes Volleyball Team wins the district.
Going 7-0 in District 3-2A, the Lady Eagles run away with the title.
Ropes closed the district race with a 3-0 win over New Home, posting 30 kills as a team, with sophomore outside hitter Lily Greer racking up half of the kills with 15 total on her own.
“Her team looks up to her,” Ropes Head Coach Jolee Wilson said. “When we’re in a rough spot, Lily is going to be the one to change the game.”
Being crowned district champions for the first time in three years came under the new leadership of Coach Wilson.
The new coach brought a new culture to Ropes, and Coach Wilson saw her culture come to fruition with a 3-2 win over Vega on Sept. 15, as she said: “It all came together.”
“Before the game, they were still kind of working against each other. They weren’t playing together in some aspects,” Wilson said. “But during that game, I saw them come together and fight.”
Winning the district is just one of the feats the Lady Eagles and Coach Wilson have on their mind as they believe they have a good shot to “make a good run at state this year,” Wilson said.
“Unity right there, I think, is going to take them far,” Wilson said about the team connection being their strong suit heading into the playoffs.
During their 16-match winning streak, Ropes has swept its opponents in straight sets in 12 matches. With two regular-season matches remaining against Mulshoe on Oct. 20 and Post on Oct. 24, the Lady Eagles are focused on preparing for the challenges ahead in the playoffs.
Wilson emphasized the team’s mental toughness throughout competitive practices, designed to simulate the pressure of the postseason.
“I’m trying to mentally prepare them for the fact that ‘hey, you probably will go five sets in the playoffs,” Wilson said. “We do a lot of competitive drills, drills that have consequences.”