After being ranked as the eighth best volleyball team in Texas by Max Preps, the Katy Tompkins Falcons have exceeded expectations after securing a spot in the state championship and sweeping the Regional Semifinals and Final in six straight sets.
After watching the Falcons in the regional rounds, there is no question that seniors Cindy Tchouangwa, a Rice University commit, and Tendai Titley, a Bradley University commit, are impact players.
Tchouangwa is the motor that keeps the team going. Her athleticism at the net makes her a force to be reckoned with offensively and defensively because she can basically jump out of the gym. It appears that she delivers harder spikes and more aggressive blocks at the net as the game draws closer to the end.
Tendai’s game is fundamentally sound on every level. She is a natural-born leader that assumes the role of player-coach on the floor, continuously communicating with teammates to ensure everyone is on the same page. Titley is a winner that never loses her cool. You will get the same Tendai when they are winning or losing — a true champion’s spirit.
The Defender spoke with the duo after the regionals to discuss their journey to state, keys to success and more.
Style of Play
Tchouangwa: “It is very intense and aggressive but I still manage a way to compose myself.”
Titley: “I play hard and fight for every point. I never give up.”
Big Energy
Tchouangwa: “It is really all about communication and talking about what is going on. And I think every point matters. So even when it is a little thing we celebrate like crazy.”
Senior Leadership
Titley: “We just hold each other accountable, even the underclassmen. We really want them to succeed, we don’t let anyone take plays off, and just constantly reminding each other ‘don’t take a play off’”.
Spike Game
Tchouangwa: “I really focus on my technique with hitting because sometimes it can get out of control. So, I like to go slow to fast and really dominate.”
Net Game
Titley: “I was definitely focused on the hitters I was in charge of. So I was keeping an eye on them and calling them out to my teammates so that they can help me out.”
Keys to Success
Tchouangwa: “Being confident and calm. And another big key is meditation and positive affirmations before games.”
Titley: “Staying focused. It is really easy to get distracted while playing…Between plays I take a breath and just calm my emotions down.”
How State Will Be Won
Tchouangwa: “I think playing together, staying up, starting strong,\ and playing to our standard.”
Rice Commitment
Tchouangwa: “I like the coaching staff because they are really honest, and when I did camps there I felt like they pushed me.”
Advice to Others
Titley: “Keep fighting and keep getting better. Keep grinding because literally anything is possible. Stay in the gym, keep working and always critique yourself.”
About Cindy Tchouangwa
Instagram: @stargirl.inc
Player she studies: Chloe Chicoine (McCutcheon HS, Indiana)
Favorite Artist: 21 Savage
Shout-outs: “Me because I had a bad year mentally with playing volleyball and I picked myself up. And shout-out to my team because a lot of people said we couldn’t do it.”
About Tendai Titley
Instagram: @tendaititley
Players She Studies: Her sister and Morgan Hentz
Hobby: Travel
Shout-outs: “My parents, my sister and my brother-in-law Blake.”
