ROCKWALL - HP had it on cruise control Tuesday night, and drove right through Rockwall on its way to the postseason. 

 

The Scots (27-15, 10-2) used outstanding serving and plenty of pop at the net to ease by the Yellowjackets, 25-9, 25-15, 25-14. The win clinched the second playoff spot out of District 10-4A, and HP will play the third-place qualifier from 9-4A in the Bi-District playoffs Nov. 1-2. 

 

Frisco Liberty (8-4, 18-19) was in third place in 9-4A following Tuesday's results. Carrollton Creekview (7-5, 17-20) was one game behind with two matches remaining.

 

Back in 10-4A, Richardson Pearce also won Tuesday and clinched the district title. None of the four teams that are tied for third place at 6-6 can catch HP.

 

HP displayed its domination late in the first set when Hope Ogden went on a serving tear. HP had control of the match early on at 14-9 when Malia Williams' block sent the serve back to the Scots. Ogden followed with an ace for the first point of what became a 10-point run for HP that closed out the set.

 

Ogden served four aces during the spree, and Margeaux Mendenhall and Williams each added two kills. It marked the first time that HP held its opponent to single digits in its last 21 sets, the last one being a 25-8 advantage over Rockwall in their previous meeting Sept. 24 at Highlander Fieldhouse.

 

Brittany Fersing was a welcome addition to the Scots' lineup coming off an injury that had sidelined her for two weeks. The senior got into the scorebook quickly, tallying three kills and two blocks in the first set.

 

Williams, Mendenhall, Fersing and Ogden were forces all night at the net with effective passes coming from senior setter Elizabeth Lee. 

 

Within four serving rotations from Catherine Ken, Caroline Culwell, Mendenhall and Lee, HP had a 10-5 lead. Two highight plays for the Scots in the set were back-to-back blocks by Fersing (solo on the first one) and Mendenhall that gave HP a 16-10 lead.

 

Rockwall made a small four-point run to get within 18-14 soon after, but the Scots' serving prowess came through again as Lee came up with an ace on her first serve, and three points later Elysia LeMay followed with an ace on her first offering for a 23-15 pad for HP.

HP went on to win the set, 25-15.

 

The Scots' reserves took over for much of the third set. Maya Loyd scored back-to-back kills midway through that gave HP a 15-9 lead, and Hallie Townsend had two kills during another 6-2 scoring run for the Scots. Those came within a string of 10 conseuctive points for HP after Rockwall had climbed back to within 11-9. Lee served throughout the scoring run to clinch it for HP, which went on to win 25-14.

 

HP plays at McKinney North at 6:30 p.m. Friday. North is still in playoff contention but has its hands full with the Scots and Pearce still left to play.