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DigitalSports intern Jeffery Gibert talks with Highlanders Alex Yensen and Cat Davis after their straight-set win over Edison in the Northern Region tournament.
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By Jeffery Gibert
West Potomac Senior/ DigitalSports Intern

McLean proved Monday night that its early-season win over Edison wasn't a fluke as the Highlanders ousted the Eagles in the first round of the Northern Region Championship Tournament, 25-19, 25-15, 25-20.

Just about a month ago McLean also beat the Edison Eagles, 3-0, but this time there was added pressure because it was a playoff game and Edison came into the tournament with the higher seed.
 
"I don't know if our school's ever been to the second round of regionals, so that was something that we really wanted to do," McLean senior Alex Yensen said.

Yensen seemed to always give her team a spark when they needed one by recording an ace in each of the three games. The team really rallied around her and she showed great leadership.
   
McLean also had another standout player, senior Cat Davis. After what seemed like every few points, the announcer would say something along the lines of, "Point McLean ... by Cat Davis."

In fact, Edison did not have an answer for her all night. Davis accounted for six points in each of the three games, including six kills in the first game, five kills and an ace in the second game and six more kills in Game 3.

"We had to make sure that we didn't come in cocky," Davis said. "And I think our team did a really good job of coming in and taking it really serious to start the game off."

But it wasn't just her scoring prowess that made Davis stand out. The main reason was the timing of her scoring. Davis always came up with a point in the clutch.

Game 1, for example, ended on three consecutive kills by Davis. In Game 2, Davis got the kill that brought the score to 24-15, which set up Yensen's ace to seal that victory.

And the third game proved no different. With McLean reeling off three straight points to take a 24-20 lead, Davis came up with the match-clinching kill.

"Toward the end of the game, we kind of found an opening," Davis said. "They had a triple block going and we kind of figured it out, so that helped."

Despite several unforced errors, the Eagles tried their best to keep their season alive. Two standout players were senior Lisa Kindred and sophomore Marnee Rand. Kindred finished the night with 10 kills while Rand led the team with 11.

McLean will continue its quest to the Northern Region championship on Tuesday night at on the road against the top-seeded Chantilly Chargers.