Ponder volleyball reaches regional semis for fourth straight year
The Lady Lions defeated Hillsboro 3-0 on Monday to extend their recent playoff success.
By Kevin Iyer ·
Ponder volleyball advanced to its fourth consecutive regional semifinal after defeating Hillsboro 3-0 on Monday night. The match took place at North Crowley High School in the 4A Division II area round. The Lady Lions closed out the contest with a 25-17 win in the third set to secure their spot in the next round of the tournament.
This victory continues a long trend of deep playoff runs for the Ponder program. The team made its first regional final appearance in 2023. It then reached the state semifinals in 2024. In 2025, the squad returned to the penultimate round of the playoffs. A win in the upcoming semifinal would give Ponder its fourth regional final appearance in a row.
The Lady Lions are coming off a recent stretch of strong results. Four Denton-area teams earned playoff bids after winning first-round matches late last week. In Round 2, other local teams are also competing. Argyle, which has a record of 36-5, plays Mansfield Timberview at Fort Worth Boswell High. Aubrey, with a 40-6 record, faces Alvarado at Fort Worth Castleberry High. Sanger defeated Godley 3-0 in its Round 2 match.
Ponder will next face the winner of a separate area round match on Tuesday. That game features Farmersville, who have a 33-11 record, against Longview Spring Hill, who stand at 26-17. The regional semifinal is scheduled for later this week. Specific details regarding the date and time of that matchup have not yet been released.
The Denton Record-Chronicle noted that Sanger coach Scott Montgomery provided analysis and quotes from his team’s victory over Godley. The full story on that game includes photos and further commentary from the coaching staff. All four local teams mentioned are now positioned to compete in the area round of the playoffs following their recent wins.
