By Angela Watts
Assistant General Manager, Washignton D.C.

** Click the links above the video player to see photos from the match and nearly 50 video highlights!

There were pink flowers, ribbons, streamers, socks, shirts and dozens of balloons flying high at Chantilly High School Thursday night, where the host Chargers and visiting rival Bulldogs met in a regular-season match that was about much more than just a rivalry.

On the court, the stakes were readily apparent. Chantilly (11-0), which captured its lone Concorde District and Northern Region volleyball championships in 2004, entered the match unbeaten on the season with only three regular-season matches remaining. And Westfield (13-5) came in riding an impressive, seven-game win streak of its own.

But around the gym, the focus was on "Dig Pink," a fundraising effort established by the Side-Out Foundation to raise money for Breast Cancer awareness. During Breast Cancer Awareness Month in October, more than 600 high school and college volleyball teams around the nation will help raise money for the cause by host "Dig Pink" events.

And this charity has extra special meaning to those in the Northern Region, because the founder and chairman of the Side-Out Foundation, Rick Dunetz, is also the head coach at Annandale High and the Southern Region Director of the Metro American Volleyball Club where he manages the operations of nine teams in Northern Virginia.

Dunetz was at the game on Thursday and was honored before its start.

"This cause is important to all of us," Chantilly junior outside hitter Samantha Reeves said. "We're honored to be a part of it."

With a full-house watching and plenty of excitement already in the air, the match itself -- despite a 3-0 sweep by the host Chargers -- created a buzz all on its own. Chantilly held a lead throughout Game 1, building a nine-point lead midway through that translated into a 25-16 victory. Game 2 was a much tighter, 25-22 Charger victory.

But it was the third and final game that proved the most exciting, with two teams locked in a tie at 15, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24 and 25 before the Chargers got back-to-back kills by junior middle hitter Allison Williams and senior outside hitter Jesica Cooper to finally seal the 27-25 victory.

Chantilly needs only to get past Robinson at home on Senior Night on Monday and Oakton on the road on Wednesday to complete its perfect regular-season.

"At the end of the season it would be great to be undefeated," Charger Coach Charles Ezigbo said. "But the biggest thing right now is for us to keep focused. Of course they know we're undefeated, but I'm trying not to let them think about that or dwell on that. The key is just to play the next match and the next match and the next match ... ."

Added Reeves: "We already go into every game like it's a playoff game. That's what we've always done; always the approach we've had. So we're ready for anything, I think. I hope."

The Chargers certainly seemed so on Thursday.

Chantilly junior defensive specialist Joanna Powers (three aces) and Reeves (four aces) were both brilliant with their jump serves. So, too, was Westfield junior libero Clare Lanigan, who stayed grounded but still registered a team-high four aces.

Chargers' junior libero Laura Misiewicz and Powers dug up seemingly every free ball -- as did the Bulldogs' Lanigan -- to start what proved to be one long volley after another.

Then there were Chantilly junior setter Andreea Linte and Westfield senior setter Kathleen Lanigan (18 assists), who fielded pass-after-pass and distributed them to a bevy of powerful hitters. Among them were Charger middle hitters Christy Harper and Williams (six kills) and outside hitters Cooper (five kills), Jamie Gorman (five kills) and Emily Wright, and Bulldog middle hitters Emily Kohler and Kelly Murray and outside hitter Emma Stewart.

But on a night full of moments that left the enthusiastic -- and very pink -- crowd oohing-and-aahing in appreciation, the stars of the show were undoubtedly Reeves and Westfield senior outside hitter Sammy Spees. Spees led everyone with a match-high 15 kills and 10 digs, and Reeves also shined, firing successful on 66 percent of her kill attempts for a team-high 14.

"She's our emotional leader," Ezigbo said of Reeves. "And she just lives to play. Samantha is ... she's special."

In the end, it was the fact that Reeves had so much talent surrounding her that gave the Chargers the edge.

"We all bond so well on-and-off the court that it makes our momentum and the flow on the court so much easier," Reeves said. "And everybody is such a big contributor. I think that's what makes us so good. ... We've all been playing together for so long, so it's more than just a friends connection.

"I know it sounds corny, but it's almost like we're sisters."