The WACO Warriors volleyball team will try to take down one of the state’s best and punch their ticket to a regional championship match when they face Holy Trinity Catholic tonight in the Class 1A Region 8 semifinals.

WACO is having an excellent season at 27-6 and can beat teams in a variety of ways. Senior outside hitter Ellah Kissell has a team-high 235 kills but also has piled up 34 aces and 229 digs. Junior middle blocker Emma Wagler dominates at the net with 152 kills and 51 blocks. Fellow junior hitter Marie Farmer is one of the best servers in the state with 97 aces and has added 110 kills. And senior setter Grace Coble affects every aspect of the game, compiling 114 kills, 570 assists, 55 aces, 180 digs and 26 blocks.

The Warriors will have faced few teams as talented as ninth-ranked Holy Trinity Catholic. The Crusaders are 27-15 thanks largely to a great core of hitters. Junior Mary Kate Bendlage has 323 kills and 323 kills, both team highs, while a pair of middle blockers, freshman Presley Myers and senior Kayla Box, have been almost impossible to get around, combining for 373 kills and a whopping 128 blocks. WACO pushed Holy Trinity to a full three sets when they met at the Super Conference Tournament on September 24th. The Warriors look to win it when it matters, in the 1A Region 8 semis, starting this evening at 7.