The volleyball team swept the 38-4 Argyle Eagles in the state title game to win the first state title in school history on Nov. 22.
“It hasn’t even set in,” senior outside hitter Joy Udoye said. “I just can’t even believe we made history for the school, and we’re just so proud of each and every one of the girls on this team. I’m just super excited for them and us.”
The Timberwolves won a close first set 26-24, with neither team ever leading by more than three points and seven lead changes.
“I definitely feel like we were super confident in this game, and we just knew what to do,” Udoye said. “We were super composed, and even if we were down, we know how to reach up and just support everyone and just come up.”
During the second set, the Timberwolves came back from a four-point deficit early in the set to win 25-22.
The Timberwolves emerged victorious from a back-and-forth third set, coming back from a six-point deficit and going on a 12-4 run to win the set 27-25 and claim the state title.
“I feel like the mindset for us was heart,” senior outside hitter Mya Cheatum said. “We have so much heart, and I feel like that was really exhibited whenever we were down. We knew ‘okay they’re going to get their kills and they’re going to get their points’, but at the end of the day, it’s how we react to that, so I feel like that was really something that pushed us to keep going.”
The win marked the first state title in program history and came in the Timberwolves’ fourth tournament appearance.
“It’s a great day to be a Timberwolf for sure,” head volleyball coach Lori McLaughlin said. “I couldn’t be more proud of our girls and the grit and heart that they just displayed, especially in that third set to come back and be able to take care of business in three sets. That last timeout, I said ‘we are not going to lose this set. I need you guys to dig deep and channel that inner Cedar Park volleyball,’ and they definitely did that.”
The Timberwolves previously made the tournament in 2012, 2016 and last season when they were swept by Frisco Wakeland in the championship game.
“Our experience from last year definitely helped prepare us for this year,” senior setter Katelyn Hughes said. “I think we really showed all of our hard work since then.”
Udoye, who is committed to Stanford for next season, won Most Outstanding Player for the match with 13 kills and seven digs.
The team has six seniors graduating, four of whom are committed to Division I programs for next season. The team returned nine players from last season and five starters. McLaughlin said she didn’t feel pressure to win this season with an experienced team though.
“I just wanted to enjoy the moment because these girls are so special, and I knew at the end of the day that they would be able to catapult to the level to be able to get the result they wanted,” McLaughlin said. “You know, we came into this season and we wanted to get the opportunity to come back here for the championship and not only these seniors but every supporting piece besides these seniors were all locked in, and we were all on the same page with what we needed to do in order to make this happen. Obviously, with so many returners coming back, not having that sense of stage fright trying to win a championship, they carried themselves different.”
The team was 38-12 on the season before the win and went undefeated in district play.
“I really think it just came down to the experiences that we’ve had leading up to this moment,” McLaughlin said. “We’ve been battle tested a lot this season, so I think that gave us an edge for sure. But also, that was true ‘Cedar Park way’ with how we were able to come back and grit it out and give it all that we could.”
