Gulf Coast has won three straight games at home, while IMG Academy Royal has won three straight on the road, but those streaks won't matter much on Wednesday. After both having extra time off, the two teams will shake off the cobwebs and hit the court against one another at 7:00 p.m. After the two teams made easy work of their previous opponents, one won't be so lucky on Wednesday.
On Thursday, Gulf Coast got the win against Canterbury by a conclusive 3-0. For those keeping track at home, that's the biggest win the Sharks have posted against the Cougars since September 9, 2020.
Gulf Coast never let Canterbury on the board, but things got pretty close in the second set. The match finished with set scores of 25-15, 25-23, 25-15.
Among those leading the charge was Vanessa Lange, who had 11 assists.
Gulf Coast was lethal from the service line and finished the match with 13 aces. They are a perfect 16-0 when they serve at least ten aces.
Meanwhile, IMG Academy Royal made easy work of Northside Christian on Tuesday and carried off a 3-0 victory.
IMG Academy Royal's got stronger as the match went on, holding Northside Christian to fewer and fewer points set over set. The final score came out to 25-17, 25-16, 25-13.
Gulf Coast better keep an eye on Maria Otero Galan. She was instrumental in IMG Academy Royal's win, getting 31 assists and three digs. Otero Galan is on a roll when it comes to assists, as she's now posted 17 or more in each of the last 12 games she's played.
Gulf Coast's win bumped their record up to 19-4. As for IMG Academy Royal, their victory bumped their record up to 15-1.
Here's a few offensive stats to keep an eye on ahead of Wednesday's match: Gulf Coast has really dialed in their serving this season, having averaged 12.7 aces per game. However, it's not like IMG Academy Royal struggles in that department as they've been averaging 5.6 aces. Given these competing strengths, it'll be interesting to see how their clash plays out. Check MaxPreps after the match for a full breakdown of the game, commentary, and other volleyball content.
