Like most other volleyball teams around the state, Bellville's goal, year in and year out, is to make the state tournament and give itself a chance at taking home a championship.

But unlike most other teams, it is expected. If it doesn't happen, the players don't consider the season a success.

"It has always been drilled in our heads," senior middle blocker Kristin Chancellor said, "that you have to make it to state."

That's because the Bellville community is accustomed to the Brahmas (33-6) winning. When they make their way to San Marcos for Friday's state semifinal with Texarkana Pleasant Grove (38-4), it will be the Brahmas' 13th state tournament trip but first since 2000.

What a relief

The end of that five-year drought has the Bellville seniors — hitters Katlin Inglish and Lacie Hugo, libero Adrienne Meier, setter Christina Nevins and Chancellor — feeling like they've lifted a weight off their shoulders.

"In the '90s, that's all they did was go to state and win it," Meier said. "It feels great to get there and have a chance to get one."

Eight state titles (six from 1990-1997) can make expectations pretty high. Bellville is tied with defending state champion Monahans as the 3A school with the most titles. That tradition at times has the girls competing more with the school's past teams than the teams they actually face on the court.

"We do think about that sometimes," Chancellor said. "We're trying to live up to the tradition, but we've failed three times (as undergraduates)."

But not this time. A tough non-district schedule that consisted of top area Class 5A teams such as Katy, Spring and Cy-Fair toughened up the Brahmas as they cruised through District 20-3A play at 10-0. They blew through their first three playoff matches before meeting Barbers Hill, the 3A state runner-up last season. After beating the Eagles in four games, Bellville is ready to add the ninth state championship trophy to its case.

"That was the toughest match out of all four (of our playoff matches)," coach Susan Brewer said. "I have tons of respect for Barbers Hill. It was great to win, but right now we're feeling like we still have a lot more to prove."

Wall of fame

And what may be as big a thrill for the Brahmas as winning the title is having their team picture on a wall along with the school's other 12 state tournament squads.

"We want to be on the wall," Chancellor said. "We have a lot to live up to. Our goal when we came to this high school was to have that picture on the wall by time we graduated so we can look back on it with the other teams that made it to state."

SAN MARCOS - Katlin Inglish and her Bellville teammates didn't agree with the call. Neither did coach Susan Brewer. But the referees conferred and agreed that Texarkana Pleasant Grove hitter Lauren Cox's 16th kill of the match was in — not out — giving the Hawks a two-point lead in the decisive fifth game.

At that point, Inglish decided she wouldn't leave the result of the Class 3A state semifinal volleyball match in the hands of the officials. She took it upon herself to make sure the call wouldn't affect the outcome.

"After the call I just said 'OK, let's go, no matter what happens, we're fine,' " she said.

Then, as middle blocker Kristin Chancellor said, her teammates "knew (Inglish) was going to hit the heck out of the ball."

And that's what she did, accounting for three of the Brahmanettes' final six points, including match point, to complete Bellville's 25-18, 19-25, 23-25, 25-14, 15-11) win Friday at Strahan Coliseum. The victory earns Bellville a spot in the 3A state championship match today against defending state champ Monahans.

"I didn't feel like we were in trouble at that point," Brewer said. "In the huddle, the girls were very calm. That's been one of (their) strengths. They don't get real excited about calls."

Inglish terrorized the Hawks (38-5) with her hitting from the left side, pounding out a match-high 33 kills, 15 in the final two games. She hooked up frequently with Kayla Schmidt (match-high 53 assists), to provide a 1-2 punch that proved difficult for the Hawks to handle.

"We connect really good," Inglish said. "It was so much fun. There's nothing better than having that chemistry in a game like that."

And when it wasn't the Schmidt-to-Inglish combo racking up points, the junior setter looked for sophomore Precious Sanders, whose 24 kills often came at key times.

"She's always been the type that wants the ball," Brewer said. "She'll go get any ball that we put out there, and certainly that showed up in her today."

Brewer said she would have liked to use less than the five games to win, but with the school's 12th appearance in the state championship match on the horizon, she'll take it.

"I am very proud of the way my team responded to the challenge," Brewer said. "It's something that I've been able to count on them for all year."

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