Blum defeats Harrold, wins 1A Texas (UIL) high school volleyball state championship
The Texas high school volleyball championships are underway in the Curtis Culwell Center in Garland and the UIL Class 1A champion has been crowned.
Blum defeated Harrold in four sets on Thursday to win its second state championship in a row.
It's the sixth title for the Bobcats (30-7), the District 18-1A champions, who beat D'Hanis to win their first title in program history in 2022.
Ruby Ruhmohr had a UIL state record 45 assists, Addison Willingham finished 15 kills, Emma Scott added 12 kills and Kinsley McPherson posted 12 kills and 17 digs for Blum, which took command of the match in the fourth set after Harrold built momentum by winning the third.
Harrold was led by Flo Richardson, who had 17 kills, and Jaylee Lowe's 33 assists (and team-high .222 hit rate).
Blum (38-7) defeated Neches in the 1A semifinals on Thursday in three sets, 25-15, 25-15, 25-16, behind 14 kills from Addison Willingham and 29 assists from Ruby Rumohr.
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Flo Richardson had 20 kills and Jaylee Lowe added 39 assists on Wednesday as Harrold beat Bronte in four sets (25-23, 18-25, 25-21 and 25-14) to advance to Thursday's title.
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Scroll down for a game thread with highlights and notable moments.
FINAL: BLUM 3, HARROLD 1
SET 4: 25-13
-- Ruby Romohr's 45 assists set a new state record, the UIL confirms.
-- Bobcats build an early lead and don't relinquish, going up 14-7 early.
SET 3: 25-19
-- Who else would it be? Richardson's kill sends this to the fourth set. Harrold win the third, snapping a late three-point Blum run on set point.
-- Flo Richardson takes over. She rattles off three consecutive kills pushes the Hornets up 24-16.
-- Harrold libero Madison Parker has 20 kills on the day, and is as big a reason for Harrold staying in the game as she is for the team's success this fall.
-- Emma Scott dominant at the net for Blum. The Wayland Baptist commit has two of her nine kills in the third set as Blum staves off a surging Harrold. Scott had a team-high seven kills with a .778 hitting rate in the semifinals.
-- Harrold's Flo Richardson and Blum's Addison Willingham each have a game-high 11 kills.
-- Harrold scored the first three points of the set and haven't relinquished the lead.
SET 2: 25-15, BLUM
SET 1: 25-12, BLUM
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-- Andy Buhler | andy@scorebooklive.com | @sblivetx