Before the girls’ volleyball match last night between CIF No. 2 Lakewood and No. 3 Wilson, conventional wisdom said Lakewood held the edge. Sitting atop the Moore League after the first round of play, the Lancers had swept Poly on the road two weeks ago, while Wilson barely handled the Jackrabbits in five sets at home on Tuesday.
Add to that the fact Lakewood beat Wilson in the five sets last month; you had to think the Lancers held the upper hand. But that’s why they play the game.
Wilson used a huge comeback in the second set to sweep Lakewood, 25-18, 26-24, 25-18, and grab the one-loss tie atop the Moore League. Kellie Culbertson led the Bruin attack with 15 kills, but it was the Wilson defense that ruled the night. All but two Bruins tallied a dig or assist while Candace Nicholson and Jenna McNaney were solid on the back line.
“Everyone will be talking about if it was them off their game or us taking them out of their game,” said Wilson coach Susan Pescar after the win. “Truthfully, it was a little of both, but we had game plan and we executed it. It was thrilling to watch this team mature out there.”
The night started how it would end, with the Bruin defense carrying the load. Sophomore Rebecca Strehlow and freshman Audrey Castro worked to get one for their combined 12 blocks on the night to start the scoring. The two teams went back-and-forth in the first set with seven tied scores, but it was the Bruin 8-2 run when it was tied at ten that helped them take the opening stanza, 25-18.
In the second set, Lakewood woke up and got Taylor Hollins and Tyler Jackson involved (8 combined kills in the set). The Lancers went on a huge run that included four service aces and got out to a 15-7 lead. But when Strehlow stopped the bleeding with her first kill of the night, it started the 11-3 run that tied it at 18. It was an electrifying run that might define this season for Wilson.
“That was the first time this year we fell behind and reacted the way we should,” said Pescar. “By golly, for once, we showed what we’re really made of… wow, that was exciting.”
After a Strehlow kill made it 24-21, the Lancers went on a mini-run of their own, and a kill from Chrissy Tuua tied it at 24. But Kellie Woolever set Moriah Phillips beautifully at the net, and with set point again, Woolever banged one off the block to take the rollercoaster set, 26-24.
In the third, the Lakewood mistakes started piling up while Strehlow and Woolever (combined 35 assists) kept spreading the ball around and kept the Lancer defense thin, owning the final set, 25-18.
Now, with both teams still having to play No. 9 Poly Jackrabbits, they sit atop the Moore League tied with one loss.
“This isn’t over,” said Pescar. “This definitely isn’t over.”