Season debut worth the wait as Lady Tigers roll

A late start to the season was worth the wait for Houston volleyball.

Playing for the first time in 2025, the Lady Tigers had strong stretches of play in all three sets Monday night and downed Bakersfield on the road 25-16, 25-16, 25-9.

For a program seeking its fifth straight 20-win season, it was a good start.

“It was a great team win,” said third-year Lady Tigers coach Julia Sloan, who won her 147th career match. “We look to build on that (Tuesday night) against Summersville.”

The Lady Tigers (1-0) were especially strong to close out the night. They jumped ahead 11-5 in the third set and put Bakersfield away with an 8-0 rally that featured three aces from senior Carli Cummins-Drake and two kills from Kayla Wagner. 

The first set included aces from Gracyn McNiell and Kynlee Weaver – two of the team’s six seniors – as HHS went ahead 14-8. Bakersfield, which was playing its sixth match of the season, managed to stay within striking distance and was behind 22-16 before three consecutive points by the Lady Tigers, including an ace by Annabelle Westbrook, finished the set. 

Arianna Flores and Wagner had kills at the beginning of the second set to put HHS in front. The lead ballooned to 14-5 on Wagner’s ace and was 18-6 after a Weaver kill. Bakersfield (2-4) never got closer than within eight points the rest of the way. 

Houston, which won the JV match 23-25, 25-12, 25-7, plays at Summersville on Tuesday and hosts Licking in its home opener Thursday.