Glenelg Country School put on a virtuoso-esque performance in the IAAM C Conference volleyball championship game Sunday.
After losing to Chapelgate Christian Academy during the regular season, the Dragons overwhelmed the previously undefeated Yellowjacekts in straight sets - 25-18, 25-17, 25-13 - at Stevenson University.
It’s the first IAAM volleyball title for the Ellicott City school (11-3 overall), which lost in five sets to its Howard County rival earlier this month.
Glenelg Country coach Shalom Omo-Osagie found it difficult to put into words just how proud she was of the way her young team grew into a champion this season.
“It feels great,” Osagie said. “I just felt so overwhelmed with those last two points – I just didn’t know what to say. I had so much emotion bottled up this entire [game] because of how hard these girls worked. From the beginning of the season to now, they have grown so much as young women.”
Communication and collaboration were skills Glenelg Country worked on developing all season long and their work paid off in the championship game. The Dragons took control in the first set with their ability to communicate during long rallies and finish the point.
“They are learning how to play together so well as a unit and having the people skills enough to work together and collaborate,” Osagie said. “It’s further than just volleyball, they are learning how to communicate with others.”
Trailing 11-10 in the first set, Glenelg survived a long rallied that included several back-and-forth exchanges to tie the game. The Dragons would never trail again as they took a 16-13 lead.
The game got within to at 17-15 but the Dragons responded with an ace from sophomore Zinnia Pickett to make it 18-15. Chapelgate (15-1) won the next point to make it 18-16 but Glenelg took the point on the extended rally that followed to make it 19-16.
Sophomore Sherron Stanard helped Glenelg close in on a set victory with two aces, while freshman Annika Nilsen chipped in a block to give the Dragons a 25-18 win in the crucial first set.
“We just went out there and played like we know how to play,” junior outside hitter Tiffany Blakely said. “The season was very long, and we have worked so hard to get here. We have been dreaming of [winning the championship] since we stepped on the court in August. We are very excited.”
Blakely led a dominant performance by the Glenelg front line in the second set as the Dragons took control of the match. Sophomore middle hitter Nancy Gou gave the Dragons an early advantage with two kills before Blakely took over and put the game out of reach for Chapelgate.
Blakely registered four kills in six points to push Glenelg out to a 9-point lead at 14-5 in the middle of the second set. The Yellow Jackets rallied briefly to make is 16-10 but Blakely responded with three straight aces to make it 19-10.
The Dragons closed out the set from there with Blakely earning an emphatic kill on the final point.
“Tiffany and Nancy are some of the most skilled hitters I have ever had the privilege of worked with,” Osagie said. “I love how they listen to me [in game], and they are so skilled to make those adjustments and shift the whole defense.”
Glenelg kept rolling in the third set, storming out to an early lead behind an ace from Gou and six more kills from Blakely. Blakely finished the game with 19 kills, while Gou had 10 kills and two aces.
With Gou at the service line, it was Blakely who fittingly finished the game with a spike and set off a celebration for Glenelg.
“The support we got was phenomenal,” Gou said of the fans that gave the team a standing ovation following the game. “We got so much support. We worked hard and coach [Osagie] said we were going to get to the [championship] and we did. Today, we really pushed through and [accomplished] what we wanted to do.”
Chapelgate’s bid at perfection and a first IAAM volleyball championship fell short.
The good news for Yellow Jackets, they return their entire roster next fall.
“Our season has been amazing,” Dragons coach Stephanie Smith said. “We had a very young team and they really rose to the occasion. I am really proud of them. Hopefully, we will come back stronger next year and have a different outcome.”
