For the third time at the UIL state volleyball tournament, Blum met Neches on the court. Neches won the previous two meetings, 3-0 in the 2019 Class 1A semifinals and 3-0 in the 2020 Class 1A title match.
But Blum, defending 1A champ, got the better of Neches during the opening game of the UIL state tournament on Wednesday at the Culwell Center in Garland.
Behind an overall hitting percentage of 0.323 and 13 total aces, the Bobcats rolled past the Tigers 25-15, 25-15, 25-16. Blum (39-7) will play in the 1A final at 3 pm Thursday.
It’s the Bobcats’ fourth straight year in the title match.
Blum, which has set a program record with 39 wins, won its first title last season 3-0 over D’Hanis. Neches ends the season 32-10.
Addison Willingham led Blum with 14 kills and hit 0.522. Emma Scott added seven kills on 0.778 hitting. Payden Sanders chipped in seven kills and two aces. Kinsley McPherson, last year’s state champ MVP, had six kills and 11 digs. Kayden Arrington had a team-high 22 digs and Ruby Rumohr added 29 assists and 13 digs. Skylar Allen and Kaydee Roland each had four aces for the Bobcats.
The first set was tightly contested with five ties before anyone reached 10 points.
Neches led 8-6 before Blum scored three straight on kills by Arrington and Scott, and an ace from Rumohr. The Tigers tied it at 9 and then the Bobcats scored 11 in a row. Leading 20-9, Blum closed it out with kills by McPherson, Sanders and an ace from Allen.
Blum opened the second set with eight straight points with kills by McPherson and Scott and two aces by Roland. Neches managed to pull within 10-4 and 15-12 before the Bobcats closed with a 10-3 run to grab a 2-0 lead.
Blum scored the final five points with kills by McPherson and two from Willingham. Sanders served up an ace on set point.
The Bobcats started hot in the third as well with eight of the first nine points. A kill from Willingham and ace by Roland pushed the lead to 12-4. The lead went up to 10 at 19-9 on an error by Neches. A Willingham kill gave Blum match point and a second straight kill gave the Bobcats the game.
Blum hit over 0.445 as a team in both the first and third sets.
The Bobcats had five aces in the second set.
