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After regaining momentum with three straight wins, Clifton Lady Cubs head into Class 3A, DII playoffs, face Scurry Rosser in Bi-District at Waxahachie

Rebuilding the momentum that waned during the second round of district competition, the Clifton Lady Cubs will carry a three-match win streak into their fourth straight trip to the postseason.

After wrapping up the District 17-3A schedule with a resounding straight set victory over Waco Harmony, 25-1, 25-3, 25-9, at the Clifton High School Gymnasium last Tuesday, the Lady Cubs geared up for the playoffs with a warm-up match on the road against playoff-bound Little-River Academy last Friday. Clifton battled to a hard-fought 25-23, 20-25, 27-25, 25-21 victory over the Lady Bees, who finished fourth in District 19-3A.

“The warmup match on Friday was really good for us,” Clifton volleyball head coach Joy Holzmann said. “I felt like Academy was a great matchup for us, and I’m glad we pulled out the win. What a great way to go into the Bi-District playoff game.”

Moving on to the Class 3A, Division II playoff bracket riding that wave of momentum, the Lady Cubs (7-3 in district, 29-13 overall) will enter the playoffs as the District 17-3A third place seed, taking on the Scurry-Rosser Lady Wildcats (8-4, 21-14), who finished second in district 18-3A behind the 12th-ranked Grandview Lady Zebras (12-0, 33-8). Clifton will play Scurry Rosser in a Bi-District Playoff matchup at 6 p.m. Tuesday at Waxahachie High School.

“The Bi-District match is what the girls have been working very hard for,” Holzmann said. “I feel like if we play well, we have a great chance to win the match. They have a few hitters that we will key on. And if we stop them, we have a great chance of winning.

“I know the girls, along with myself, are excited to get the playoffs started. I can’t wait to see how well we do. I’m super proud of all their accomplishments so far this year.”

In the playoff warmup match against Little River-Academy (15-22), sophomore Brystel Wise smashed a game-high 17 kills, followed by senior Brylee Heim with nine, as well as junior Piper Bennette and freshman Taliyha Davenport with six each.

Sophomore Madison Otter provided 32 assists and 10 digs, freshman Scarlett Kennedy dished out four service aces and came up with 17 digs, Heim contributed a team-high 19 digs, while Wise tallied 15.

“Piper Bennette filled in for Camy Barsh and did a great job,” Holzmann said. “Camy was at the state cross country, and Piper had a great match on Friday.”

In the dominating regular season finale win against Harmony (0-10, 0-17), Wise slammed a game-high 16 kills, while junior Sophia Ritzmann delivered 10 service aces and Otter provided 26 assists. Other Lady Cubs contributing to the overwhelming win included senior Camy Barsh with four kills, junior Alexa Lane with four service aces and junior Addison Martin with three kills and two service aces.

With the win, the Lady Cubs wrapped up their third place finish in District 17-3A behind the district champion and 21st-ranked West Lady Trojans (9-1, 27-5) and the runner-up Troy Lady Trojans (8-2, 26-12), while the McGregor Lady Bulldogs (4-7, 16-16) claimed the fourth place postseason berth.

“I’m so excited to see what the girls will do on our playoff run,” said Holzmann, who led the Lady Cubs to their first postseason victory in 20 years last season. “I’m so excited for the girls to be making another run in the playoffs. This was one of our goals this year, and I hope we can make a deep run with the two divisions that are now being offered.”