Wilson Memorial volleyball just straight-up snatched the regional championship on November 11, pulling off their second upset by seed in three nights. They rolled into Covington, home of the No. 3 seed Alleghany, and the fourth-seeded Wilson squad came out swinging, winning 25-20, 10-25, 25-12, 25-17. That’s how you claim a title, folks, and more importantly, they earned a massive home game in the Class 3 state quarterfinals.
Road Warriors Took the Challenge Head-On
This win wasn’t just a championship, it was a statement. Wilson Memorial, now 19-4, had lost to Alleghany in four sets on senior night just weeks ago, their final regular season game. Then they had to go back on the road for the big one, playing in Covington, which is notoriously tough for visiting teams. It’s a long trip, a cozy gym, not exactly a walk in the park. But senior libero Bree Kindig, who was absolutely everywhere with 26 digs in the win, said it didn’t even faze them. “Our mentality was, we wanted to win, we wanted to be the champions and prove to people that we had it in us,” Kindig said. Coach Lauren Grove even spun the long trip as a positive, saying, “They had to create their own momentum as soon as they got off the bus.” And create it they did. Kindig spilled the beans on their secret sauce too: “We play better when we have people rooting against us. We feed off of the energy in the gym.” You gotta love a team that thrives on that kind of fire! Sure, the second set was a bit of a disaster, a 25-10 loss, but Grove wasn’t worried. “They came back out in the third mentally tough and ready to play,” she said. That’s the kind of resilience you need when everything’s on the line.
Seniors Stepped Up, and the Attack Was RELENTLESS
You want to talk about depth? Wilson Memorial is blessed with a balanced crew of hitters, and against Alleghany, they all showed up. Estee Irving led the charge with a monster 18 kills and 22 digs, but Harper Tibbs dropped 11 kills, Maggie Parrott added eight, AJ Hedrick six, and Elisabeth Irving chipped in five. That’s an offense that keeps defenses guessing! On the assist front, setters Natalie Chandler had 13 and Maddie Lawhorn added 12, plus 14 digs of her own. Miya Chandler had a huge night defensively with 13 digs and an absolutely massive five aces from the service line. Coach Grove couldn’t stop praising her seniors, a “special group” she said, “I knew they could make a statement this year.” And with seven seniors on the squad, including Kindig, Estee Irving, Hedrick, Natalee Chandler, Parrott, Jaquelin Wood, and Brielle McDaniel, it’s clear why. Kindig said this group has been playing together for years, and this year, it all finally clicked. “We’ve been communicating well and picking each other up and that makes a huge difference,” she said. “We’ve always had the athletic ability, but we needed to come together as a team, and we finally did that this year.” Talk about timing!
What’s Next: Home Court Advantage in the State Quarters
So, what’s next for our regional champs? Wilson Memorial (19-4) is set to host Region 2D runner-up Christiansburg (21-5) at 3 p.m. on November 14. That home-court advantage is HUGE in the state quarterfinals, and they earned it by going out there and getting the job done on the road. You can bet the atmosphere will be electric. This team has proven they can overcome adversity, handle a tough road environment, and come together when it matters most. Get ready, Christiansburg, because Wilson Memorial is coming into this one with all the momentum, and they’re looking to make another deep run.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
Leave a Reply