By Michael Adams
Austin Sports Journal

SAN ANTONIO – Defending UIL Class 4A Division II state champion Wimberley is headed back to Garland to defend its title.

The Texans dominated Salado 25-19, 25-21, 25-13 in a state semifinal on Tuesday at Littleton Gym, using dominant serving, steady blocking and a disciplined defensive plan to earn their second straight trip to the state finals.

Wimberley (46-5), which is seeking the eighth state title in program history, will face Fort Worth Eagle Mountain (37-11) in the championship match on Friday at 6 p.m at the Curtis Culwell Center in Garland.

From the opening points, Wimberley controlled the match behind its pressure at the service line and at the net.

Skylar Mears and Mariah McCoy set the tone defensively, combining for eight total blocks and consistently disrupting Salado’s rhythm. Their presence helped neutralize Eagles standout Elsie Law, who has been one of the area’s most reliable performers but struggled to find clean swings against Wimberley’s front row.

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Salado (35-14) never found its footing offensively, undone by a high number of unforced errors in all three sets.

The Eagles stayed within reach midway through the first two sets but couldn’t sustain long rallies or capitalize on scoring opportunities, especially as Wimberley’s serving runs stretched out each frame. The Texans finished with five aces and a 91.9% serve-in rate, highlighted by strong stretches from Mears, Trinity Laney and senior Lilli Sandoval.

Freshman outside hitter Laney powered Wimberley’s attack with a match-high 15 kills on .257 hitting, while Sandoval added eight kills and Cameron Thames and McCoy chipped in two apiece. Setter Carson Peoples directed the offense with 15 assists, and libero Ashton Shipman anchored the defense with 12 digs.

For Salado, the loss marks its third straight trip to the state semifinals and second consecutive elimination at the hands of Wimberley.

The Texans now return to the state final with a chance to repeat as champions and add another chapter to one of the most successful dynasties in Austin-area high school volleyball.