FRISCO — Argyle didn’t panic after finding itself in a familiar position following its first-set loss to Frisco Liberty in Saturday’s state semifinal showdown at Prosper Rock Hill.
The Lady Eagles faced that same 1-0 deficit in the 5A Division II semifinal round last season after dropping a 25-12 opener to Frisco Wakeland. They rallied to even the match and split the next two sets before seeing their season end with a narrow 15-12 defeat in the decider.
This time around, Argyle completed the comeback, overcoming a 25-23 first-set loss to take the next three 25-20, 25-21 and 25-12 and advance to the 5A DII state final.
State title game bound! Photos from Argyle volleyball’s semifinal win over Frisco Liberty
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“Definitely fighting more and believing in ourselves,” said Argyle senior Hannah Baker of the difference this year. “Last year, when it went five sets, we were very down and we didn’t think we could do it. This year, we put the first and second sets behind us and just knew we were going to work and we were going to win this one.”
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Baker racked up 14 kills on an efficient .344 hitting percentage along with four blocks. She came through with five of Argyle’s last eight points of the second set between four kills and a block assist to help the team rally from down 18-16 and even the match with a 25-20 triumph.
Baker was one of four players with at least seven kills to help Argyle come out on top in the program’s seventh state semifinal appearance.
The Lady Eagles (38-3), which have won 17 straight matches, will face Cedar Park (38-12) in the 5A Division II state final at 1 p.m. Saturday at the Curtis Culwell Center in Garland.
Liberty finishes with an overall record of 35-5 after making its first state semifinal this fall.
It will be Argyle’s fifth state final appearance and first since making four straight 4A championship games from 2014-17. The program won its lone 4A state title in 2015 but had yet to return to the round since moving up to Class 5A in 2022, coach Katelyn Johnson’s first season at the helm.
After going from a regional quarterfinal during that inaugural season to a regional final in 2023 and state semifinal last year, the Lady Eagles are headed back to the final round.
“It just says a lot about our kids and how hard they’re working,” Johnson said. “They were ready for the jump from 4A to 5A, and each year they’ve finished their season and come back hungry for just a little bit more.”
Argyle earned that opportunity after bouncing back from Liberty surging to victory late in the first set. Neither team led by more than two points for much of the opener as they traded the lead back and forth before the Redhawks went up 19-18 and never relinquished the edge.
Standout freshman Alexis Elsey and junior Betsy Zhang were key in helping turn the tide.
Zhang got one of her 11 kills for the final point of Argyle’s second set win. Elsey had four kills across the final five Lady Eagle points of the third set to help them finish off a 25-21 victory after going up 11-7 early on and leading by two or more points the rest of the way.
Elsey finished with a team-high 17 kills, 15 digs and three aces. Zhang added 22 digs and five blocks to her attacking contributions.
Junior setter Karsyn Rogers, an Arizona State beach volleyball pledge, helped make it all go with a double-double on the night as she tallied 25 assists and 10 digs.
“We just decided to play for each other and play for our coaches, who have put everything on the line for us,” Rogers said. “We just stayed humble, knowing they were going to get some good plays and so were we, and we just kept going.”
Senior Ella Roberts added seven kills and three blocks to help round out the effort, while Oklahoma Christian signee Susanna Hodson (four kills, three blocks) and Sophia Durik (four kills, six blocks) won several key points as well.
Teagan Barnett paced the defensive effort with 23 digs. Makenna Gregory added 21 assists and seven digs.
Argyle’s focus throughout the playoffs has been on treating each round as just another playoff match with the same stakes as the last, a mindset it aims to continue into its first state final under Johnson.
“We’re just trying to go win another playoff match,” Johnson said. “I thought we did a really good job of that tonight, and we have to do the same thing next week.”
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