It’s been another phenomenal season for the Aledo Ladycats volleyball team. They competed all season, dominated their District 5-5A foes, and secured the No. 1 seed heading into the playoffs.
They overcame their shortcomings, and most of all, they were teamwork personified.
But, like all good things do, the 2023 volleyball season came to an end on Tuesday, Nov. 7, for the Ladycats.
After defeating Fort Worth North Side and Birdville to start off the 5A playoffs, Aledo ran into the defending 5A Texas state champions from Colleyville Heritage in the regional quarterfinals. The Ladycats fought valiantly with a gritty determination befitting a team who earned their opportunity to square off against a championship-caliber team like Colleyville Heritage.
Unfortunately, that ended up being the end of the line for Aledo, as the Lady Panthers won the match in four sets by scores of 25-22, 19-25, 26-24, and 25-18.
“It wasn’t the outcome we wanted, but we are so very proud of our girls,” assistant coach Natalie Gonzales wrote in an email to The Community News. “It was a great season.”
The stat line for the match looks similar to how it has all season, which is a testament to the Ladycats rising to the occasion against a stalwart Colleyville Heritage club. Vivian Parker and Alyssa Todd ended the night with double-digit kills. Parker scored 14 points for the Ladycats at the net. Todd added a dozen of her own.
Ava Reding’s assists had the Ladycat offense running like a well-oiled machine all season long. Tuesday night was no exception. The junior picked up 28 assists, bringing her total for the year to 1,020. Sophia Frank stepped up in a big way, as she added 15 assists after averaging around 10 per match throughout the season.
Kenrie Pruitt and Logyn Denbow kept the floor clean for the Ladycats, much like they have all season. Pruitt had 19 digs in the final match of the season. Denbow scooped up 15 more.
At the net, Haley Lowe was exactly what the Ladycats have come to rely on her to be. A defensive specialist, she ended the night with four blocks. Her growth as a scoring threat in the middle of the net was also on display, as she scored six kills to go along with her defensive contribution.
Tuesday ended up being the final match of their respective high school careers for five Ladycats. Three of the five have already committed to continue their volleyball careers at the collegiate level. Parker will head to Columbia, Mo., next season where she will play for the Lady Tigers at Mizzou. Skyler Lambert will cross the Red River to play volleyball for East Central University in Oklahoma in the fall of 2024. Madison Widmayer will head for the Natural State to play for Henderson State University in Arkansas.
Natalie Anderson plans to attend the University of Oklahoma.
Faith Brooks’ future plans are presently unknown.
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