Nailah Randle shines as Harlan outlasts Brennan to move into first in 29-6A

Harlan’s Nailah Randle put on a dominant performance, and the Hawks needed every bit of it against Brennan on Tuesday at Northside Sport Gym.

Randle notched 23 kills in leading Harlan to a grueling five set win over Brennan, 25-17, 22-25, 26-24, 16-25, 15-10, in a match between the top two teams in District 29-6A.

With the win, Harlan (22-10, 8-0) moved into first place in the District 29-6A standings ahead of Brennan (27-7, 7-1), capping off the first round of district competition.

Randle, a 6-1 senior outside hitter and LSU commit, said she knew she would have to step up her game against a Brennan squad which fought to the end, despite missing two key players because of injuries.

“I just wanted to work for my team and produce for my team,” Randle said. “I knew it was a big game. So, I just wanted to be able to get the job done for my team.”

Harlan coach Monica Gonzales said her team was able to find a way to grind out the win over a tough Brennan squad.

“It was really a great match,” Gonzales said. “They’re a great team. They work hard; they have really good kids. We just kind of chipped away. We talked about our first contact and it fell apart in our fourth set, but we just regrouped and played hard and that’s what’s important.”

Randle was part of a well-balanced Harlan attack that included senior right side hitter Leeanna Hamilton, a Tulsa commit who contributed 15 kills, and Holly Sieh, a senior outside hitter who added eight kills.

“They (Randle and Hamilton) came out and played hard,” Gonzales said. “They’ve been a part of the program, they’ve been on varsity for four years. They’ve known the process; it’s ingrained in them. They came up when we needed them, whether it was blocking, whether it was passing, whether it was obviously the kills. But they came to play and they understood that. They’re our leaders.”

Brennan coach Melissa Dahle said her squad had to make adjustments to counteract Randle’s athleticism.

“Nailah’s amazing,” Dahle said. “Her contact point is above us and that is what it is. We made some blocking adjustments, we made some defensive adjustments and we made some plays on them. I mean Nailah is going to get her kills, and we knew that coming into the game. She is a great player.”

Despite having two of their starters and team captains, seniors Aviana Contreras and Mia Nunez, out with injuries, Dahle said was proud of her squad’s effort.

“Harlan is a great team,” Dahle said. “We have some kids out right now. So, we are in a new lineup, making new adjustments. Kids stepped up that haven’t got a lot of playing time this year, so I’m very proud of the way we played. Harlan is a well-coached team so I knew they would come out swinging.”

Senior outside hitter Kayla Rodriguez led Brennan with 15 kills, while Adele Ponce notched 10 kills and Kiersten Rodriguez, Kayla’s twin sister, added six.

Harlan’s Aryana Waluk (18) hits the ball over the net during district 29-6A volleyball match between Harlan and Brennan at Northside Sports Gym on Tuesday, Sept. 22, 2026, in San Antonio, Texas. (Andrew J. Whitaker/San Antonio Express-News)

Harlan overcame a slow start in the first set, going on a 6-4 run to take a 9-7 advantage and finishing the frame on a 15-7 run to close it out. Hamilton and middle hitter Aryana Waluk each got two kills in the decisive run.

Brennan got off the mat by winning the second set 25-22 behind the play of the Rodriguez sisters, who had key kills in the latter part of the frame, and an ace from Khloe Cisneros.

Harlan regained the momentum in the third set, as the Hawks got out to a quick lead before Brennan came back to tie it at 14-14. But Randle picked Harlan up, closing out the frame with four kills as the Hawks pulled out a 26-24 win.

Brennan answered again in the see-saw affair, as the Bears got out to a 12-5 lead in the fourth set before winning the frame 25-16. Kayla Rodriguez led the way with seven kills in the set.

In the decisive fifth set, Harlan got out to a 6-2 lead and held on for a 15-10 win in the frame as Randle notched three of the final four kills for the Hawks. Camyrn Batts ended the match with an ace, one of three she served in the match.

The win helped Harlan avenge a two-set loss to Brennan in the Pieper Tournament in August.

Both teams start the second round of district Friday as Harlan hopes to extend its four-game winning streak when the Hawks take on Stevens. Brennan looks to bounce back against Taft.