In a packed Raider gymnasium, volleyball fans stood shoulder to shoulder Tuesday night as the recently ranked No. 1 state Lady Raiders steamrolled the Amarillo High Sandies, 3 sets to 1. The Lady Raiders will take on their next opponent, Lubbock Monterey, in an away game tonight.

Going into tonight’s game, the Raiders sit in first place in District 3-5A with a 6-0 record, and a 27-5 overall record. To maintain their winning streak, the Raiders will continue to look toward their veterans, setter Sarah Brown, and outside hitters Brianna Ford and Kaitlyn Glawe, for leadership.

“This season has been, and still is, a learning experience for the team,” McKenzie Carroll said. “Every team gets better over time. The seniors are more practical about goals; it makes volleyball fun and not feel like a chore.”

Carroll plays libero, a defensive specialist, along with passing services. One thing that helps ease some of the tension of practice, is having a caring coach.

“Coach (Jason) Culpepper is really close with the team,” Carroll said. “He makes sure we’re good and is very encouraging.”

Carroll said the team’s goal is to win the state championship. The high goal comes with it long and grueling practices. Practices involve a lot of training for one of their biggest competitors, the Amarillo High Sandies. 

“We’re under a lot of pressure to keep our No. 1 rank,” Carroll said. “We have to be on our A-game. We view each other as equals, which will help us go farther than last year.”