Mission Accomplished
Kingwood Park punches ticket to state
Joshua Koch
Nov 15, 2018, 5:00 am
Originally appeared on Vype
HOUSTON – It was a moment they’ve been all working for.
Kingwood Park coach Kelly Miser, pacing the sidelines in a dark green dress with white polka-dotted dress, watched as junior Alia Williams – who had 11 kills – flew through the air, swung her right arm and sent the ball where no Friendswood defender could get it.
The players collapsed to the court into a dog-pile as their teammates rushed the court, Miser in the midst of the madness dropped to her knees and screamed in joy.
Kingwood Park, after falling in the 2017 Region III-5A Final, had come back to the very place they lost last year and punched its ticket to the UIL State Volleyball Tournament with a 3-1 (25-21, 24-26, 25-21, 25-17) victory against Friendswood on Saturday.
“That was the coolest moment of my career,” Miser said about watching her players celebrate on the court. “That made all the long hours, the work, everything they’ve put it; it just made it all worth while.”
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Cam Smith hit an RBI single in the eighth inning to give the Houston Astros a 2-1 win over the Philadelphia Phillies on Thursday.
CAM SMITH COMES THROUGH! #BuiltForThis pic.twitter.com/Y6dtPpXF9J
— Houston Astros (@astros) June 26, 2025
The rookie's second hit of the game came off Orion Kerkering (5-3) and gave the Astros their fourth straight win.
Brandon Marsh tied the game on a sacrifice fly in the top of the inning to end the Phillies' 26-inning scoreless streak.
The Astros took a 1-0 lead on Yainer Diaz’s RBI single in the second inning. They only managed three more hits off Phillies starter Christopher Sanchez, who struck out 11 with zero walks over six innings. Sanchez has not issued a walk in three straight starts.
Hunter Brown lowered his league best ERA to 1.74 by scattering three singles over seven shutout innings, with nine strikeouts. He did not allow a runner to reach second base.
FULL THROTTLE.
Hunter Brown now leads the MLB in lowest ERA (1.74). #BuiltForFuel pic.twitter.com/nkwT2MpgJQ
— Houston Astros (@astros) June 26, 2025
Bryan Abreu (3-3) struck out Trea Turner to end the eighth, and then struck out Kyle Schwarber, Alec Bohm, and Nick Castellanos in the ninth.
Abreu joined Julia Morales after the game and talked about his impressive performance!
🧹🧹🧹
After the @Astros completed their sweep of the Phillies, @JuliaMorales visited with Bryan Abreu!#BuiltForThis pic.twitter.com/UeOOSNDKwW
— Space City Home Network (@SpaceCityHN) June 26, 2025
Rafael Marchán had two of the Phillies' four hits. Bryson Stott reached base twice and scored the Phillies' lone run.
Smith’s RBI.
Brown’s 1.74 ERA is the fourth best in Astros history through 16 starts and the best since Justin Verlander posted a 1.60 ERA through 16 starts in 2018.
The Astros open a three-game series against the Cubs on Friday with LHP Brandon Walter (0-1 3.80 ERA) on the mound.
The Phillies open a three-game series at the Braves on Friday with RHP Mick Abel (2-1 3.47 ERA) against Atlanta RHP Bryce Elder (2-4 4.77).