PLANO, Texas - There are nights in sports that live forever. When belief beats the odds and heart conquers history. Think the Miracle on Ice. Think Appalachian State over Michigan. Think the Giants toppling the unbeaten Patriots. And now, think Bishop Lynch Volleyball.
On a stage built for champions, the Friars became the underdogs who refused to bow, outlasting top-ranked Prestonwood Christian in a match that will be remembered for a long time. Every athlete dreams of a moment like this, and the Friars made theirs real, earning a place in the TAPPS 6A Semifinals.
Bishop Lynch 3, Prestonwood Christian 1 (24-26, 25-22, 25-20, 25-21)
Bishop Lynch hadn't beaten Prestonwood since 2017, dropping 20 straight matches to one of the nation's elite programs. The Lions entered the night riding a 70-match win streak against TAPPS opponents, dating back to 2021 — a span that included three straight state titles and a 147–11 overall record.
But streaks end eventually — and on this night, in front of a stunned home crowd, it was the Friars who finally flipped the script.
Maia Raleigh, Kylie Love, and Camila Figueroa all delivered career performances, each recording double-doubles. Raleigh orchestrated the offense with 40 assists and 11 digs, Love notched 16 kills and 16 digs, and Figueroa tallied 11 kills and 15 digs. Katie Rebuck was everywhere on the floor, collecting 14 digs and four assists, while Maddie Sue Pflum and Charlie Wells dominated the net, combining for 14 kills (on a .519 hitting percentage) and seven blocks.
As a team, the Friars outhit the Lions .273 to .188 and out-blocked them seven to two. The service game proved decisive — both teams had seven aces, but the Lions' 12 service errors were costly. Fittingly, the final point came when a Prestonwood serve found the net, sparking a celebration in Plano that few will forget.
HOW IT HAPPENED
SET 1 | The Friars were 16–4 this season when winning the opening set, and they knew the importance of a fast start. Prestonwood jumped ahead 9–6 and 13–10, forcing Coach Shea Jenkins to burn both timeouts early. Out of the huddle, BL rallied — Raleigh set up Love for the tying kill at 19–19, and a few points later, Love gave the Friars their first lead at 22–21. But the Lions responded with a late surge to steal the set, 26–24.
SET 2 | The second set became the turning point. Instead of folding, the Friars regrouped and came out firing, jumping to a 10–6 lead that ballooned to 12–6, forcing both Prestonwood timeouts. After recording zero blocks in the first set, BL tallied two in the second and rode Figueroa's three kills to a 25–22 victory that evened the match.
SET 3 | Confidence soaring, the Friars put together their best set of the night. They hit .351 as a team with 14 kills and just one error, led by Love's five kills. BL also dug 20 balls in the frame — their highest total of any set — with Figueroa (5), Love (4), and Raleigh (4) leading the charge. Pflum and Wells combined for four kills on five attempts and two blocks to power the Friars to a 25–20 win and a 2–1 advantage.
SET 4 | The tension inside the PCA Field House was palpable as both teams traded points deep into the fourth. Neither side hit above .200 as nerves set in, but the Friars found their moment late. Love's 16th kill gave BL a 20–17 lead — their largest of the set — and from there, the pressure broke the Lions. Prestonwood's final five points all came via unforced errors: service error, attack error, attack error (Pflum block), attack error (Pflum block), service error. When the last serve hit the net, the Friars' bench erupted — a long-awaited breakthrough finally complete.
STAT LEADERS
» Kills: Kylie Love, 16
» Assists: Maia Raleigh, 40
» Digs: Kylie Love, 16
» Blocks: Maddie Sue Pflum, 3
» Hitting Percentage: Charlie Wells, .571
» Aces: Kylie Love, Maia Raleigh, & Maddie Sue Pflum: 2
COACHES CORNER:
Head Coach Shea Jenkins on the teams monumental victory...
"I couldn't be more proud of these girls and this team. They truly believed in each other and trusted one another to do their jobs while learning from our past mistakes. Our defense was tenacious, and our offense was efficient. It was a complete team effort."
OTHER PLAYOFF MATCHES
- Nolan Catholic def. Liberty Christian, 3–0
- Antonian vs. Incarnate Word (SA) – playing tonight
- St. Michael's vs. Concordia Lutheran – playing tonight
To view the full TAPPS playoff bracket, click here.
NEXT UP
The Friars advance to the TAPPS 6A Semifinals for the first time since 2021. They will face #1-1 Nolan Catholic next Thursday, November 13. More details to come.
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