Lady Dawgs wrap up busy tournament season this weekend in Whitney

By TJ MAXWELL
Cove Leader-Press

The new-look Copperas Cove Lady Dawgs’ volleyball team moved its season record to 9-8 with a 4-2 showing at the Allen Texas Open last weekend and a road loss to Class 5A no. 7 Dripping Springs on Tuesday.
The Lady Dawgs opened the Allen tournament on Friday with a sweep over Frisco Heritage (25-23, 25-15) where seniors Leah Powell and Janice Fa’aola led the team in kills with 11 each and in digs with 11 and nine, respectively. Senior Sam Ingram led in assists with 16 followed by junior Emily Vanderpoel with 12.
The Lady Dawgs then suffered their first loss of the tournament against Hockaday 26-24, 25-19. Powell and senior Jaela Rice led in kills with four and three, respectively, while Fa’aola led the team in digs with Rice (6) and sophomore Emma Wasiak (5) following. Vanderpoel had seven assists to lead the category. 
The Lady Dawgs responded with a 2-0 sweep over tournament hosts Allen 25-14, 25-17 in their third contest of the day.
Powell and Fa’aola again led the kills category with six and five, respectively. Rice and Fa’aola had five digs each to lead the back-row defense and Ingram led in assists with six. 
Cove then closed out day one with a lopsided sweep over Hillcrest (25-10, 25-3) for a 3-1 showing on day one. 
Powell led the attack with 11 kills and Ingram added five. Fa’aola (8), Rice (7) and Ingram led the back-row defense in digs. Vanderpoel led in assists with 17.
The Lady Dawgs opened day two of the tournament with a 2-1 win over Wylie East 25-23, 26-28, 25-20.
Powell logged a game-high 22 kills while Fa’aola chipped in 16 more to lead the offensive attack. Rice and Fa’aola notched four blocks each to lead the category.
Senior Jazz Jones had 18 digs to lead the back-row defense followed by Powell and Ingram with 16 each. Ingram led in assists with 21 while Vanderpoel logged 20. 
The Lady Dawgs closed out tournament play with a 2-1 loss to Class 4A no. 14 Canyon where Powell again led in kills with 15 followed by Fa’aola with 8. Sophomore Kyra Gaston had four blocks and Ingram had nine digs to lead the team in each category. 
After a short break, the Lady Dawgs again hit the road to face Class 5A no. 7 Dripping Springs on Tuesday.
Despite Powell’s game-high 18 kills, the Lady Dawgs suffered a 3-0 sweep (25-21, 25-18, 25-18). Powell also led in blocks with three and tied for the lead in digs with 15. Fa’aola also tallied 15 while Wasiak had 14. Vanderpoel (19) and Ingram (14) led in assists. 
The Cove varsity will compete in the Whitney Invitational this weekend while the sub-varsity teams will host the Cove tournament at Copperas Cove High School.
Cove will open the Whitney tournament against Marlin before facing El Paso Riverside, Blooming Grove and hosts Whitney.
The Saturday schedule calls for a 9 a.m. match against Burnet, a 10 a.m. match against Waco Connally, a noon match against Rio Vista and close out tournament action at 4 p.m. against Elgin.  
The Lady Dawgs open District 12-6A play Tuesday against Shoemaker at Bulldawg Gymnasium. The JV will start things off at 5:30 p.m.