The longer Tuesday night’s volleyball match progressed, the more frequently Waltrip’s veteran front line forced Northbrook into what will be scored as unforced errors.

Capitalizing on a series of runs, the Rams’ front row of Ashley Kerl, Jamie Coomes and Kourtney Martinez combined for 28 kills to fuel a 25-17, 25-19, 25-13 road win in the season opener for both teams.

Coomes, a senior, had 11 kills to pace the effort. Waltrip never trailed by more than four points and didn’t lose the lead after midway through the second set.

“We have veterans on the front row … Kerl and Coomes are my two best players with (Martinez) next to them,” Waltrip coach Darcy Ruffino said. “They were strong last year, too. We lost our two setters so we’re trying to work a couple junior varsity kids into a rotation that’s going to work for these girls.

“We found a little bit of it tonight and we’re going to continue to work at it.”

Martinez, a junior, had 10 kills and four digs and Kerl, a senior, added seven kills, two blocks and two digs for Waltrip, which has won nine consecutive district championships in Houston ISD.

“It (the front row) was strong last year,” Kerl said. “Everybody on this team has come and worked together. Without the passing and the setting, you couldn’t get good kills. Our hitting and our serving is what led to most of their errors. Everyone is contributing to this team.”

Perhaps not surprisingly, each team sought to find itself in the first set. Northbrook reeled off runs of 5-0 and 4-0 to take a 15-11 lead, but Waltrip closed on a 13-1 tear.

The teams were tied at 15 midway through the second set, but Kerl laid down a thunderous kill over the middle and forced two net violations in a span of three points to go ahead 20-16.

Kerl served out the last seven points of the third set.

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