Wakefield volleyball
Following their 3-0 win over Enloe Wednesday, members of the Wakefield volleyball team celebrate winning the Cap-7 Conference tournament championship.
Lady Wolverines wrap up tournament championship
Wakefield kicks off postseason Saturday, hosting Middle Creek
After the Wakefield volleyball team dispatched of Enloe in three sets Wednesday, winning the Cap-7 Conference tournament championship, and concluding an unblemished league schedule, former Lady Wolverine Sydney Blanchfield — who graduated last spring — was one of several well-wishers congratulating coach Cynthia Terrell afterward.
"I'm so happy for you guys," Blanchfield told her former coach. "And I'm jealous."
It's an understandable emotion considering the level of excellence the Lady Wolverines have displayed this year. It's been a special season for Wakefield, and Wednesday's 25-11, 25-20, 25-16 win over a very competitive Enloe squad once again showed the squad's dominance.
After falling behind early in the first set 3-0, Wakefield pulled even on Katie Slay's ace at 4-4, and promptly jumped ahead 12-6 en route to the a commanding victory.
Click here for highlights of the Lady Wolverines' championship win.
The Eagles pushed Wakefield in the second set, fighting for a 15-12 advantage, but moments later Lady Wolverines' sophomore Kylie Sicking racked up three straight points on serves, leading to a Wakefield five-point win.
Enloe took a two-point advantage early in the third set as well, but Wakefield took control of the game as Elizabeth Campbell recorded back-to-back blocks, pushing the Lady Wolverines to a 11-5 lead, and the squad never looked back.
"I don't think we could have written a better script," Terrell said moments after the Lady Wolverines posed for photos with its championship plaque. "Our girls really worked hard for this. They just had that mindset that they needed to come out here, do their work. And they have just been phenomenal all year."
Bryn Pfeiffer recorded six digs, two kills and two blocks in the win, and Sicking tallied eight assists and six digs. Cally Pfeiffer finished with 14 assists and eight digs.
Slay notched 14 kills, six block assists and four digs, and Campbell added 11 kills, four aces and three solo blocks.
Although Slay took home the Cap-7 Conference's MVP award following the game, the senior lauded Campbell for her outstanding performance against the Eagles.
"Elizabeth played such a good match in the middle tonight," Slay said. ""She played well on offense, and good defense."
Added Terrell, "Elizabeth played out of her mind today — in a good way. "She made big plays at critical and crucial times when we needed them."
Slay pointed out Wakefield's sophomore class — Campbell, Bryan and Cally Pfeiffer, Sicking and Grace Cho — play with a "great deal of maturity," and have been vital to the squad's success.
In addition to Slay's MVP honors, the Lady Wolverines took home a bevy of other hardware as Slay, Campbell and Cally Pfeiffer were named first-team All-Conference.
Catherine Coston, Cho and Sicking made the Honorable Mention All-Conference team.
"I am really honored to get the award, but I have to thank my teammates because I know I couldn't have done it without them," Slay said of her MVP honors. "You can't get a hit without a great pass. And you need a consistent setter behind you. It really credits my teammates' hard work that I was able to get this individual award."
The Lady Wolverines return to action Saturday, hosting Middle Creek in the first round of the 4-A NCHSAA state playoffs. The match begins at 1 p.m.
"We are really excited about the playoffs," Slay said. "But we know that we have to play our best because from here on out, lose and you're done. We're going to have to continue to work hard."
