Lady Mustangs fall to Cedar Park in state semifinals
December 3, 2025
The Lady Mustangs ended the 2025 campaign with a 37-10 overall record and the program’s 11th appearance in the state semifinals, returning to the final four for the first time since 2019.
Friendswood did win the Region III-5A-II championship while also sweeping the District 20-5A teams 12-0 to claim the league crown.
"One of the things we talked about was we don't want anyone to be the person not going to state this year," Friendswood head coach Sarah Paulk said. "We've gotten closer and closer with this group. Taking them to the next level is definitely something they talk about."
Paulk said that at the beginning of the season in August so it was no surprise that the Lady Mustangs had their sights set on the state tournament from the start.
Friendswood graduates eight seniors from its 2025 Region III-5A-II championship roster, led by the core of hitter Nadi’ya Shelby, setter Caroline Adams and libero Haley Patton. Other key seniors included defensive specialists Caden Carter, Julia Ford and Kaylee Odom, hitter Olivia Giles, and right-sider Emma Cridland.
“Friendswood volleyball has always been great, but they just transformed our program and got us back on the right track,” Paulk said. “They put everything aside and played for one another and got us back to where we could see that we could do it. I just can’t say enough great things about those three and the rest of our seniors.”
Leading the Lady Mustangs in their season finale were Shelby (12 kills, six digs), Patton (13 digs) and Adams (19 assists, 10 digs).
