The girls’ volleyball team was eliminated from the playoffs by Churchill on Wednesday, Nov. 6. In a game of Cats and Dogs, the Bulldogs secured victory in the fifth set.
The Cats fell short of their expectations, entering the playoffs as the top seed, while the Bulldogs followed shortly after as the two seed. WJ won their first playoff game against Whitman 3-0, a team they had previously dominated during the regular season.
After a decisive victory against Whitman in the second round, the Wildcats confidently entered the match against Churchill. Earlier in the season, the Cats struck Churchill with a sweep, 3-0. This victory motivated the Cats throughout the regular season, knowing they defeated the team that shut down their playoff hopes last season.
Churchill took the first set, 25-20, hopping out to an early lead, leaving the Cats slightly shaken up at the first 3-minute intermission. WJ found a spark to begin the second set, taking an early 5-2 lead. The Cats continued this run, finishing the set 25-19. The girls continued their smart plays both on offense and defense, as they took a 24-12 lead in the third set. But as the set wore on, the Cats struggled to find the final point to secure the third set, so head coach Jackie Krampf called a much-needed timeout.
“The timeout was used to reset ourselves and focus on getting one more point,” sophomore Rayne Christopher said. “It gave us a chance to take a breather and just talk about it.”
The Cats found the point they needed, decimating the hope for a Bulldog comeback. The third set ended with a final score of 25-16.
The Bulldogs looked to turn their two set losses into motivation to find a game-tying fourth-set victory. The Dogs did exactly that, snatching the fourth set from underneath the Cats’ paws, tying the game 2-2.
A fifth set, which, unlike the previous four sets, is played to 15 points, was nothing short of nerve-wracking. The Cats appeared dominant at the outset but let the pressure slowly pour in, allowing them to make uncharacteristic mistakes. Krampf brought the team together as they trailed, 9-6. Unlike the first timeout, the Cats couldn’t find a spark to get back into the game. The Cats’ serves crashed into the net numerous times, and players failed to cleanly receive the Bulldogs’ dangerous serves. The margin of error for the Wildcats was limited. The game ended with a Bulldog victory, 15-9.
Churchill advanced to the state semifinals, where they saw their season come to a close. They faced the reigning state champions, Richard Montgomery, in a tight 3-2 loss on Nov. 12.
In the past four years, each WJ volleyball season has been shut down due to an encounter with the Bulldogs. The seniors, who have had all of their playoff hopes cut short by Churchill, will pass the torch to the next generation of volleyball players.
`“They already know how important our rivalry with Churchill is, and that is why we played so well against them in the regular season,” senior captain Stella Lichter said. “Next year and for years to come, I wish the remaining and new players to focus on getting better and continuing to work hard during practice, and then they will beat all the teams they face, not specifically Churchill.”
WJ seniors, Ariel Mazor, Stella Lichter and Sofia Silberfeld were invited to participate in the MCPS Senior Volleyball All Star Game on Sunday, Nov. 24, at Damascus High School.
