The image is indelible, equal parts humorous and a glimpse into what helped an athlete transform her mind, body and game.

Two years ago, in the days leading to Harlan High School’s first match of its inaugural volleyball season, Kiana Fallaha was taking part in a preseason weightlifting session when she jokingly flexed her right bicep.

It was a Hans and Franz impersonation at its best. Fallaha wasn’t too far removed from showing up weighing only 100 pounds and receiving her initial introduction to an unfamiliar world of dumbbells, squats and bench presses.

 “I went to the weight room for the first time and I was like, ‘What’s going on,’ “Fallaha said, referring to the offseason between her freshman and sophomore seasons. “I had never touched a weight room in my life. That was my time to get stronger. All three years, I put in my work.”

The payoff has helped Fallaha, a senior outside hitter, get physically and mentally stronger, and emerge into a team leader and well-rounded player.

A Lubbock Christian signee, Fallaha’s ascension is a key reason why Harlan has found instant success during its short three-year history.

The Hawks (19-3) face Brandeis (19-2) in the Region IV-6A semifinals at 6 p.m. Tuesday at the Northside ISD Gym. It is Harlan’s deepest postseason venture. The team advanced to the third round during the previous two seasons while competing in Class 5A but was moved to 6A by the UIL during last February’s biennial realignment and reclassification.

“I think it was definitely shocker for everybody,” the 5-foot-9 Fallaha said. “We made history. Hopefully, in the future, that will continue to grow and grow.”

 Fallaha’s growth wasn’t just physically, although she has added 30 pounds of strength since her freshman year. It has also been emotionally and mentally, and it helped her embrace a leadership role, especially when the stakes have been at their highest.

In the Hawks’ 25-14, 23-25, 23-25, 25-20, 15-9 win over Warren in the third round on Nov. 27, Fallaha had 17 kills and 25 digs, both season highs. Harlan won the first set, lost the second and third frames, then rally from a three-point deficit midway through the fourth set to force a fifth set.

In the do-or-die tiebreaker, Harlan grabbed an early three-point advantage, fought off a charge by Warren, and went on to claim the triumph.

“When pressure’s applied, I feel like a lot players either choke up or don’t step up, so I knew being a senior, for my team, I had to step up,” said Fallaha, who has 35 kills, 62 digs and six aces in three playoff matches and 172 kills, 239 digs and 30 aces for the season. “I know for me, it was a lot of pressure. Every little mistake matters when it comes to close games like that. I just want to help my team in all aspects.”

Fallaha isn’t the only area player who has thrived during this season, most noticeably during the postseason, with an all-around game.

Brandeis junior outside hitter/setter Carlee Pharris, who will be on the other side of the net from Fallaha, has provided balanced performance in helping Brandeis advance to the regional semifinals for the second time and the first time since 2016.

A TCU pledge, Pharris has recorded 458 assists, 183 kills, 156 digs and 44 aces. She has been even more potent during the Broncos’ playoff wins over Steele in bidistrict, Austin Westlake in the second round and Madison in the regional quarterfinals.

The 6-foot Pharris has 38 kills, 65 assists, 28 digs and six aces during the postseason. She is nearly averaging a triple-double, totaling 12.6 kills, 21.7 assists and 9.3 digs per match while having a .300 hitting percentage.

“Some days I have a bunch of kills, and then other days I’m more of the assist person,” Pharris said. “I just think that, right now, my main focus is whatever I need to do to help the team.”

Against Madison on Saturday, Pharris had 15 kills, 16 digs and 30 assists as Brandeis collected a 25-15, 25-20, 24-26, 28-26 decision. In the clinching set, Pharris had back-to-back kills to give the Broncos a 27-26 advantage, a part of a rally that saw them overcome a 24-19 deficit — fighting off five straight set points and seven overall — before winning on a kill from junior Jalyn Gibson.

A few days earlier vs. Westlake, it was Pharris’ serving that did the trick. Brandeis won the first set and trailed midway through the second stanza by four points when Pharris uncorked back-to-back aces to spark an 8-4 run that forged a 17-17 tie. The Broncos went on to capture the second set en route to a sweep.

“I always want to go back there and make sure I’m consistent with it, but I also go back there with the mentality of ‘I really want to get this ace,'” said Pharris, who teams with senior Abbey Halstead in her team’s two-setter formation. “(Coach Maddie Williams) always wants me to be aggressive and do that topspin serve, even when we’re in a pinch.”

Since dropping the first set of its Class 5A playoff opener, New Braunfels Canyon (23-1) hasn’t faced a lot of adversity through three rounds.

The Cougarettes held off Leander in bidistrict, and then swept Harlandale in the second round and Leander Rouse in the regional quarterfinals. They face Corpus Christi Flour Bluff (21-0) in the regional semifinals at 6:30 p.m. Tuesday in George West.

Flour Bluff advanced to this round for the third straight year and for the sixth time since 2000. The Hornets lost to Alamo Heights a year ago at this stage and to Boerne Champion in 2018.

New Braunfels Canyon is in volleyball’s version of the Sweet 16 for the first time since 2015, when it was in Class 6A and advanced to the state tournament. An integral figure in the team advancing this far — and entertaining strong prospects of moving further — has been the versatility of senior setter/outside hitter Erin Jones.

The 5-11 Jones has 384 assists, 223 digs, 142 kills and 28 aces on the season. Her production has gotten better in the playoffs. She has 23 kills, 34 digs and 59 assists in three postseason contests, averaging 14.7 assists, 11.3 digs and 7.7 kills, just shy of a triple-double. Jones had 11 kills, 18 assists and 18 digs in a first-round win vs. Leander and was two kills and one dig shy of a second triple-double vs. Leander Rouse.

“I just go into the game wanting to win, wanting to play hard, wanting to do the best I can,” said Jones, who has signed with Division II power Angelo State. “I don’t go in trying to get double digits in this and this. I just go in and play and I get what I get. If it happens, it happens.”

It has occurred a lot more than not, a trajectory that starting nearly by happenstance. During the spring of 2018, Jones was working on her attacking. Coach Heather Sanders noticed her player’s potential and encouraged to expand her role.

“(Sanders) came up to me and told me I was pretty good at it,” Jones said. “Setting was kind of my thing. I was like, ‘Wow, I actually enjoy hitting.’ I’m just doing my job, playing for the team.”

terrence@terrencesports.com

Twitter: @sa_terrence1