The road to the volleyball state tournament for Aubrey when the Lady Chaparrals realized they might have a chance to make a deep postseason run began in an odd place – McDonald’s.

It was after the Lady Chaps beat their biggest rival for the first of two times this season, and something occurred to them.

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Aubrey setter Kelsey Lynn gets low for a return during drills at practice on Wednesday in Aubrey.

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“The first game we played in Pottsboro this year was huge for us,” said senior Jac Bullock. “I don’t really remember the game that much. I just remember going to McDonald’s afterward and the whole team being so excited and happy and bragging about it because it was a big achievement for us.”

Beating Pottsboro was definitely a new experience for the Lady Chaps (36-9), who were beaten three times by Pottsboro in 2008, including once in the regional quarterfinals to end their season.

But the Lady Chaps used two wins over Pottsboro this season to propel them through the postseason and a regional final win over Quitman to earn a spot in the Class 2A UIL state tournament at Texas State in San Marcos where they will face Peaster (36-4) today at 3 p.m. for a berth in the state championship match on Saturday morning. They would play the winner of White Oak (44-0) and Poth (36-10).

“When we had our first meeting of the year before the season started, we said this was our goal and we truly believed we had a chance to go to state,” said Aubrey’s third-year head coach Joe Bullard. “Everyone wants to do it, but I don’t think there’s many that actually have a chance. I think it took a while for them to realize we actually had a chance, but they gradually believed in it as the year went on. But now it’s here.”

With no more than two matches guaranteed for this season, the Lady Chaps will have a lot of players playing for their high school careers today, as they have nine seniors on their roster of 11 players, many of whom have grown up together.

“That’s one of the great things about smaller towns,” Bullard said. “Everyone knows a lot about each other. With this group, it’s been a very fun year. They get along so well. It’s a special group because there’s never any complaining or jealousy. It’s a group of kids that truly love each other and they have a goal in mind and they’ve done a great job of doing that so far.”

Drawing Peaster in the state semifinal was just what the Lady Chaps wanted, and senior setter Kelsey Lynn said their familiarity with the Lady Greyhounds will help them reach the state title match on Saturday.

“I think that’s probably the matchup we wanted because we already went and watched them against Pilot Point this year and we have film on them,” Lynn said. “I think it’s going to be a tough game because we’re pretty evenly matched but we match up well with them.”

Lynn has played the quarterback role of the Lady Chaps’ offense to near perfection this year, dishing out 1,447 assists to a wide array of weapons, but no weapon Aubrey has is more lethal than Bullock.

The senior outside hitter/middle blocker leads the team in kills (750), blocks (146), aces (30) and is second in digs with 450 behind senior libero Ana Cisneros.

“She’s definitely a spark plug for us,” Bullard said of Bullock. “When she gets going like she can she does a good job of getting everyone else in the game. She gets people excited. She’s our main hitter and is hard to stop.”

And Bullock knows if her team, and most importantly, her eight fellow seniors are going to have a chance to come home from San Marcos as state champions, she’ll have to have two of the best matches of her life.

But she’s ready for the challenge.

“It’s pressure,” she said. “I feel like I’m a leader on the team so if I get my head down — if one person gets down the whole team will. I know that since I’m the leader it’s extra important that I don’t. When my head’s up obviously I play better offensively and the rest of the team will play better defensively.”

ADAM BOEDEKER can be reached at 940-566-6872. His e-mail address is aboedeker@dentonrc.com .