Teams wrap up Athletic Edge Summer Volleyball League

WASHINGTON — Dozens of parents and fans filled the Athletic Edge Sports & Fitness Center Thursday night to watch the finale of the facility’s first annual summer volleyball league.

With the younger divisions finishing up on Wednesday, the older age group, consisting of 12 to 16 year olds, battled on the synthetic turf in hopes of taking home the championship trophies.

For the last two months, three teams worked towards finishing with the best record, as the No. 1 seed automatically earns a bye to the championship match.

The first match featured the No. 2-seed East Coast Wings team vs. the No. 3-seed Gregory Poole. Powered by its heavy-hitters — Caroline Mills, Rachel Lang and Summer Campbell — Gregory Poole jumped out to a commanding 15-4 lead in the first set and an early upset looked imminent. Despite a comeback from East Coast Wings, the No. 3 seed won the first set, 25-18.

However, East Coast Wings would carry its late-set momentum into the second set, as Pam Pack standout Megan Moore helped her team secure a competitive 25-21 victory.

“I never saw them give up,” said East Coast Wings head coach Marlin Edwards. “They meshed very well as a team tonight, almost everything being a bump, set and pass.”

Edwards’ team took care of Gregory Poole in a shortened, first-to-15-point third- set tiebreaker and advanced to the championship match.

Tideland EMC, coached by Tudy Moore, entered the finals as the top performer during the regular season. But it was East Coast Wings who rose to the occasion out of the gate.

Tied at eight, a pair of aces by Samantha Sheppard gave East Coast Wings the opportunity to pull ahead substantially. On a late-set serving streak from Christina Scott, the team in black won its third-straight set, 25-15.

But Sarah Rhem, Emma Davis, Hailey Harris and the rest of Tideland EMC would not go down without a fight. The team powered back with a skillful second set, winning 25-17, forcing a third-set tiebreaker for the championship.

East Coast Wings remained calm and stuck to its initial game plan in the final set, remaining fundamentally sound. Up 6-2, a huge block by Sydney Keech gave her team all the momentum, enough to come through with a 15-8 win.

“I’m really proud of my girls,” Edwards said. “We worked really hard all season, especially during our last practice. Most of my girls have never touched a volleyball, this being their first time playing. They came together and really wanted to go out with a bang.”

The game was officiated by Pam Pack head volleyball coach Kelly Slade.

The win marks the first recreational league completed by the new Athletic Edge facility, which is set to fully open on August 1.