WAYNESBORO, Pa. – It took some time to get the engine revving, but after a tenuous first set, the Waynesboro Maidens varsity volleyball team picked up steam and swept the West Perry Mustangs.
In the process, Waynesboro clinched the Mid-Penn Colonial Division championship. The Maidens won the match by scores of 25-22, 25-9 and 25-11 to finish the season with an 8-2 league record. Gettysburg and Northern ended the season with identical 7-3 records.
It was senior night, and seniors Chloe Shacreaw, Kai Walker and Jaylyn Wentz all played integral roles in the win. And, winning the division championship in their final seasons with the team made it all the more special.
“It’s a great feeling,” Wentz said after the match. “It definitely is. It’s always been a goal for us, so it was a great feeling to finally get it done.”
Waynesboro took a 4-0 lead in the first game, but just when you thought it was going to be a rout, West Perry kept battling. Then, with the score tied at 14, the Maidens began to put together points off serve. After a sideout kill by Maddie Nystrom, Shacreaw held serve for three points to give Waynesboro an 18-14 lead.
Both teams traded sideouts, and Bryn Reed served for two points and a 21-15 lead. The lead dwindled to 22-20 and 24-22 before Shacreaw ended it with a kill.
“I think we knew how much this night meant, securing the Mid-Penn championship, and I think, honestly we did get nervous because we wanted it so bad,” Shacreaw said. “We might have been overthinking it a little bit. But then we realized we know how to play our game and what works and eventually we kept going and got it done.”
It took a little time to get the wheels rolling in the second set as well. Waynesboro led 7-5 after a hitting error. But Nystrom recorded a sideout kill to give the serve back to the Maidens. Shacreaw held serve for six points, getting help in all phases. She served for an ace. Sarah Aldrich, who was a force at the net, recorded a kill for the 13th point, and then capped the rally with another kill to make it 14-5.
Waynesboro scored 11 of the next 15 points to close out the second set. Walker served the final two points, including an ace to make it 24-9.
“I think all of us just being able to blend together and just push to the end with all my best friends on the court,” said Walker. “You can’t really beat that feeling.”
Waynesboro fell behind 5-1 in the third set but came roaring back to take a 7-6 lead and continued to put together more rallies than West Perry.
It was 9-7 after a hitting error, but the Mustangs hit the ball into the net and Kara Eskridge served for two points to make it 12-7. After both teams exchanged sideouts, Waynesboro, with Shacreaw serving, extended the lead from 13-8 to 15-8.
From there, the Maidens outscored West Perry 10-3 to secure the victory.
Waynesboro has one match remaining in the regular season. The Maidens will host Bishop McDevitt on Tuesday, Oct. 20.
Photos by Toya McCleary
