It was just the first game of volleyball districts in the Whitmore Lake High School gym, but the moment felt much bigger for Charyl Stockwell Academy.
“It was so much fun,” Sentinels coach Alexis Johnson said. “We celebrated as if we won state.”
Why not?
Stockwell’s players probably won’t experience a more thrilling victory than their five-setter over Stockbridge Monday night in the first round of the Division 3 playoffs. The Sentinels won 25-21, 21-25, 25-9, 13-25, 16-14.
“That was a hard-fought game,” Johnson said. “To watch them turn it around in the fifth set was just amazing volleyball. They would not let a single ball drop.”
Julianne Stucky had seven aces and freshman Lacey Mathews had four consecutive kills in the middle at one stretch for the Sentinels. Quinn Marshall had seven kills.
“Our team for the first time in a while kind of jelled together and looked like we were having fun and did our jobs,” Johnson said. “Number 15 for Stockbridge was a wonderful hitter. We never let our heads get down, even if she got some kills.”