MOONEY GIRLS' VOLLEYBALL MAKES HISTORY ON THE FIELD

In an exciting twist from the expected Friday Night Lights, the Cardinal Mooney girls’ volleyball team hosted its first-ever Cougar Outdoor Invitational at Austin Smithers Stadium. This past Friday night, the cross town rival Sarasota Sailors and Lakewood Ranch Mustangs took the court alongside the Cardinal Mooney Cougars in a competitive three-game series.

The opening matchup of the night between the Cardinal Mooney Cougars and the Sarasota Sailors was an intense one. In the first set, the Cougars opened with a dominant performance, but the Sailors fought back in set two, leading to a decisive third set. Ultimately, the Cougars ended the match quickly with a score of 15-6.  

In the second match, the Sarasota Sailors took on the Lakewood Ranch Mustangs in a brief showdown ending in a Mustangs victory. Both sets started neck-and-neck, but slowly the Mustangs began to pull ahead. Each of these teams not only displayed prominent volleyball skills, but also resilience on the court. 

To close out the historic night, the Cougars returned to the court once again to compete against the Lakewood Ranch Mustangs. Fueled by the energy from the stands, the Cougars secured their second win of the two-set game with a second-set score of 25-18. 

The night was filled with excitement from the neon-filled stands to the intensity of the court. At the end of the night, the Cougars walked away triumphantly having bettered their record to 8-6, the Sailors left with a record of 6-11, and the Mustangs went home with a record of 12-8. It was a great night of fierce competition and unforgettable energy as all three teams came together to showcase their talents under the Friday Night Lights.