The Crandall Lady Pirates varsity volleyball team navigated a demanding 2025 schedule, gained valuable experience against strong competition and remained in the District 15-5A race deep into October.
Crandall finished the season with a 9-17 overall record and a 7-8 district mark, placing fifth in the district. The Lady Pirates won 33 sets during the season and recorded four victories at home, four on the road and one at a neutral site.
The overall record does not fully reflect the competitiveness Crandall displayed throughout the schedule. The Lady Pirates played several tournament matches early in the season before beginning district competition in September. Their first victories came during an Aug. 28 tournament, when Crandall defeated Greenville 2-1 and Princeton 2-0.
Those early matches helped prepare the Lady Pirates for a district schedule that included Midlothian, Red Oak, Midlothian Heritage, Kaufman, Corsicana, Terrell and Ennis.
Crandall opened district play with a loss to Red Oak but responded three days later with a decisive 3-0 road victory over Terrell. The Lady Pirates then defeated Kaufman 3-1 at home, giving the team consecutive district victories and an encouraging start to the league schedule.
After difficult matches against Midlothian and Midlothian Heritage, Crandall regained momentum with back-to-back victories. The Lady Pirates defeated Corsicana 3-1 on Sept. 26 and followed that performance with a 3-0 win over Ennis on Sept. 30.
One of the season’s most competitive victories came Oct. 7 against Terrell. Crandall prevailed 3-2, completing a season sweep of the Tigers after winning the teams’ first meeting in three sets.
The Lady Pirates also showed their ability to remain composed during another five-set contest Oct. 21. Playing on the road at Corsicana, Crandall earned a 3-2 victory. Three days later, the team completed its regular district schedule with a 3-0 road win over Ennis.
Those results gave Crandall season sweeps over Terrell, Corsicana and Ennis. The Lady Pirates won all six matches against those three district opponents, including four matches decided in three or four sets.
Crandall’s season concluded Oct. 28 with a 3-1 loss to Kaufman in a conference match played at Terrell High School. The Lady Pirates won the third set 25-20 and challenged Kaufman closely in the opening two sets before the Lions secured the victory.
The 15-player varsity roster combined experienced senior leadership with several younger players who gained meaningful varsity experience. Seniors Kate Jones, Georgia Davis, Rowyn Sommer, Ava Thome, Madyson Bass and Chika Abba formed the team’s largest class.
Juniors Harlow Vasquez, Maddilyn Focken, Victoria Garcia, Audrey Lambert and Jasey Bearden also contributed to the roster. The underclassmen included sophomores Malayah Garrett and Mallory Koller, along with freshmen Gabriella Gonzalez and Miken Barnett-Womack.
The Lady Pirates were led by head coach Courtney Posey, with Taylore Gotcher and Sarah Winther serving as assistant coaches.
Crandall’s season included difficult stretches, close five-set matches and several important district victories. The Lady Pirates continued competing through the final week, finishing with victories in their last two regularly scheduled district matches before the additional Oct. 28 meeting with Kaufman.
The six departing seniors leave behind a group that helped Crandall earn seven district victories. With five juniors, two sophomores and two freshmen listed on the 2025 roster, the program also developed a foundation of returning players who gained experience in close matches and against the district’s leading teams.
