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Hebron volleyball headed to 6A state final after defeating New Braunfels Canyon

by David McNabb, special contributor

GARLAND -- Not one to take an easy road, Hebron outlasted a feisty New Braunfels Canyon team in Friday's Class 6A volleyball state semifinal, winning tight second and third sets in a 25-13, 25-22, 25-21 victory at the Curtis Culwell Center.

Hebron (42-5) will play Fort Bend Austin (46-2) in the championship match at 6 p.m. Saturday. Hebron held off late charges by Canyon (37-13) to earn a shot at the program's first state title since 2010.

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"It is rough in spots, but the mantra of this team has been when they get pushed, they have an answer," Hebron coach Karin Keeney said. "We've played in tight games. It's a tremendous help to play in the district (6-6A) we do. The fourth-place team could, and I guess they did, beat the district winner of another district."

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Hebron has played all comers. To reach the state tournament, Hebron had to beat Coppell, Plano, Amarillo and McKinney Boyd, all state-ranked teams, in the playoffs. After finishing third in 6-6A, Boyd knocked off Southlake Carroll -- then the state's top-ranked team -- in the regional quarterfinals.

Hebron had lost at the regional tournament the last two seasons but showed its mettle when Canyon made its runs Friday.

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Hebron scored the final two points in a 25-22 second set. It was so tight at the net in the third set, that with Hebron leading 20-19, the officials decided for a replay on a close call.

With Canyon trying to keep the ball away from big-hitting senior Jordan Yauch, Hebron 6-0 freshman Emma Clothier and and 6-1 senior Tamia Reeves came through with big points in the third set. A New Orleans signee, the 6-0 Yauch still ended the match with 15 kills while Kendall Patterson and Annie Benbow combined for 24 digs.

"We have to dig and keep the ball away from their big hitters," Kenney said. "Teams can swing over the top of us, so we have to do what we have to keep them from doing that."

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Fort Bend Austin d. Conroe Oak Ridge, 23-25, 25-21, 25-13, 25-14: Making its first state tournament appearance, Fort Bend Austin rallied to win a 6A semifinal.

Madison Rhoder led Austin with 18 kills, and Dylan Brinkman and Paige Swinney had 11 kills apiece. Brinkman and Swinney combined for 42 digs.