It’s never easy against Wichita Falls Memorial.

Wylie played its strongest rival in District 4-5A on Friday night to close out the regular season and had to battle to a 3-1 win.

The victory in just the seventh home match of the season sends coach Shay Cox’s team into the postseason on an 18-match winning streak. It secured another district championship, earned by a pair of 3-1 wins over No. 18 Memorial (29-9).

By sets Friday, it was 25-17, 13-25, 25-8, 25-20.

Wylie, ranked No. 7 in the latest Class 5A poll, plays its Division II bi-district match at 6 p.m. Thursday in Snyder against Frenship, from District 3-5A.

Frenship is 29-14 and finished 13-5 in league play, along with Lubbock-Cooper.

“I am excited for this team putting together back-to-back undefeated district championship runs,” Cox said. Wylie had to win a playoff in 2024 to take the first of three straight 4-5A titles.

That year, Memorial won at Wylie, so the homecourt advantage is not a given in these matchups. Wylie won in Wichita Falls in the first go-round of district play.

“To withstand the fight from Memorial and come from behind was a challenge we needed,” Cox said. “ Super proud of our grit and finish.”

A BATTLE TO THE END

The match looked headed for a deciding fifth set, like it played out last fall.

Wylie had taken a 2-1 lead in sets but promptly fell behind 6-1.

The Bulldogs trailed as the set wore on but a kill by D’Nae Dolton brought the deficit to two at 18-16. Logan Hill subbed in for Dolton to play the back row and to serve.

Memorial was whistled for a net violation on her first serve to make it 18-17, and Hill followed with an ace to tie the set.

Kiki Bolden powered a kill on the next point and Wylie finally led. The Bulldogs got up 20-18 before Hill lost serve. Wylie kept its momentum and nailed down the win.

Bolden had 18 kills to lead her team, with Dolton adding 13 to match her jersey number.

MASTERING MEMORIAL

Memorial brought game to Bulldog Gym and Pink Out Night. The players tossed pink miniature volleyballs to fans.

Wichita Falls led early in Set 1, with Wylie able to turn a 7-4 deficit into a 9-7 lead on a deep court point by Jenna Stricklin. The Bulldogs never gave up the lead but Memorial stayed in it, turning a 17-12 deficit into a 17-15 game. Back-to-back points from Haddie Mock, one on a kill and the other from the serving line, followed by a Stricklin winner helped push the lead to 24-16.

A point later, Dolton sent over a cross-court winner.

It’s hard to imagine a 34-win team playing any poorer than Wylie did in Set 2.

Wylie was down 6-1 quickly and the closest the Bulldogs would get was 8-6 on a Dolton kill.

Memorial went on a tear, turning an 8-6 lead to 19-9 when Trista Averette’s serve, which Wylie did not play, landed just inside the back line. It’s just the way things were going for Wylie.

With Savannah McClure serving, Memorial stretched 19-11 lead to 24-11 as Wylie continued to make unforced errors.

Most of Wylie’s 15 errors in the match came in the second set.

Memorial took a 12-point win.

Cox has noted how a team’s play can change simply by changing sides of the net.

Wylie dominated Memorial in Set 3, taking a 5-0 lead on a deep hit by Annalise Loudermilk.

This time, it was Memorial that was making the errors and Wylie’s lead grew. It was 17-6 when Loudermilk went to the serving line and it was 23-6 when she left. Bolden followed three straight Mavericks errors with a kill to end the run.

It was Dolton again who closed out the win with a kill.

Memorial wasn’t done, however, and made Set 4 a hill climb for Wylie until the Bulldogs finally summited.

Wylie went 8-0 in district play and dropped only three sets - all to Memorial.

Cox’s team was 7-0 home, losing one set - the one earned by the Mavericks on Friday.

Ironically, Wylie played more matches - eight - at Granbury at a preseason tournament than it did on its home court.

The remainder of the season will be the road, and Wylie hopes it’s one long road trip.