By Michael Adams
Austin Sports Journal

GARLAND – Austin High was less than a set away from the first state volleyball championship since 1992, but a momentum shift in the fourth set changed the Maroons fate.

Southlake Carroll (35-5) stormed back Saturday evening to defeat the Maroons 27–25, 17–25, 23–25, 25–19, 15–10 in the UIL Class 6A Division II state final at the Curtis Culwell Center, securing the Dragons first state title.

“It didn’t finish how we wanted, but the girls fought really hard,” said Austin High head coach Kylie Woods. “Volleyball is such a game with momentum, and you had it switch back and fourth in a five setter, which is what. you want in a championship match. … When it comes to our girls, it didn’t end how we wanted, but I’m so incredibly proud of what they’ve done.”

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After dropping a tight opening set, Austin High (41-7) responded, winning the second and third behind the play of senior hitters Maggie McCarroll and Riley Malloy. The Maroons controlled the tempo through tough serving, which accounted for 13 service aces – just one shy of breaking a state championship record.

That surge carried into the fourth set, where Austin High seized its largest lead at 17–12 with a 2-1 lead and the state championship within the Maroons’ reach.

But the turning point arrived suddenly.

Southlake Carroll used aggressive ignited an 8–0 run led by the game’s most valuable player, Kinsley Young, who finished with 22 kills and 26 digs. The Dragons seized a 20-17 lead, only allowing Austin High two points before closing the set on a 5-0 run and sending the match into a decisive fifth set.

“At that point, we had no other option, it’s either we pick up right now or we go home,” said Teddy-Raye Ewers, sister of former Texas Longhorns quarterback Quinn Ewers. “Once we had that run and comeback, that’s when we were like, we got this.”

Southlake Carroll carried that surge into the deciding frame, siding out at a high clip and hitting efficiently behind Young, and fellow outside hitter Layla Austin, who added 17 kills and 26 digs. Middle blocker Audree Hughes added 15 kills, giving the Dragons three attackers in double figures as they closed out the championship 15–10.

The loss overshadowed a gritty and resilient performance from Austin High, which leaned on its senior core throughout the match.

McCarroll closed her career with 15 kills, 14 digs and 24 assists, while Malloy added 14 kills, 16 digs and five aces, including momentum-shifting swings in the second and third sets.

For a team led by seniors who elevated expectations, reshaped standards and came within a handful of points of a championship, the night closed not with disappointment, but with recognition of how far the program has climbed.

“Not a lot of Austin High goes to state,” Malloy said. “One thing I think about when I think about Austin High is that not a lot of people go there for the sports or the glory, it’s more for the school spirit.

“So, I feel like we’re kind of leaving a legacy, but for all of the programs and for the whole school, it’s possible to beat the other teams in our district. We made history, we’re the first team in 33 years to make it to state, and that’s all you can really ask for,” she added.

Coverage of the UIL Class 6A Division II state championship was brought to you by Tarrytown Pharmacy.