Mama Knows Best

by Seneca Contomanolis
DigitalSports Richmond

Alyssa Lang is only a senior in high school yet she is already a mother of 12.

The Deep Run outside hitter is affectionately known as 'Mama Lang' because she is the oldest player and only senior on the team.

Her wisdom was apparent Thursday as her poise kept the defending state champion Wildcats together during a 3-2 win over Frank Cox in the semifinals of the state Group AAA tournament.

"I definitely feel like a mother in a way," Lang said. "They ask me questions all the time. Sometimes they are small questions but a lot of the time they are game related."

It has quickly become a tradition for Deep Run to have to go through Frank Cox to reach the state championship. For the third straight year the Wildcats beat the Falcons in the state tournament.

Deep Run topped Cox in the semifinals in 2005 and in the quarterfinals last year. This also marked the third season in a row that the Falcons beat the Wildcats in the Volleyball Showcase in September but lost to them in the state tournament.

"Anytime you play Cox you become a better team win, lose or tie," Deep Run coach Terra Balla said. "I have so much respect for their team. We have become stronger each time we play them."

Deep Run (23-5) is headed to their third title game in three years where the Wildcats will face Northern Region champion Langley at 7 p.m. on Saturday at Virginia Commonwealth University's Siegel Center. But it certainly was not easy to give the Falcons (27-1) their first loss of the season.

The Wildcats took the first game 25-21 behind the strong play of Meghann Forshey (22 kills, four blocks), Mallory Woolridge (eight kills, three blocks) and Lindsey McClellan. Down 20-19 Deep Run needed a 6-1 run to close it out.

In the second game Eastern Region champion Cox started to show why they have won four state championships. Middle Amanda Hall began to tally kills and Anna English, Kim Maroon and Meghan Killion provided the defense as it seemed the Falcons were able to get to every ball. Leading 23-18, Cox withstood a late Deep Run rally to win 25-22.

Cox jumped out to a 7-4 lead in Game 3 and then extended that to 15-9. The Wildcats battled back behind the serving of Woolridge to even it at 15 but the Falcons used a 10-2 run to take the game 25-17.

"If you were down on the sidelines you would have seen that there were times two or three players almost lost their composure," Balla said. "Between Alyssa and Texas [McClellan] they kept their heads."

The Wildcats returned to form in the fourth game with McClellan (50 assists) dishing out assists to Forshey and Lang (19 kills). When Lang was not putting down kills she was on the ground accumulating 33 digs for the match. Up one at 19-18, Deep Run went on a 6-1 run to even the match at two games.

"We know losing is a possibility," Lang said. "But we never accept it."

Deep Run scored the first three points in Game 5 but Cox came back with three straight to tie the score. That is when freshman Chaney LaReau (seven kills) stepped up and along with Forshey carried their team to a 15-11 victory and an opportunity for the Wildcats' second straight state championship.

"I think it has to be the the experience," Balla said. "We have been here the last three years. We know it is never over till it is over."

Cox coach Claire LeBlanc agreed with Balla's assessment.

"We got a little tight and they just maintained their composure better then us," LeBlanc said. "A lot of their points came from our errors, especially during rallies."

Deep Run will have a day off before they meet Langley for the title and Balla is looking forward to it.

"It will let us sit down and regroup," Balla said. "We don't have to go to bed and wake-up and play for a state championship."

If Lang had her way Deep Run would have already played the match.

"We want to play right now," Lang said. "We just want to get it done."

Frank Cox  21 25 25 19 11
Deep Run  25 22 17 25 15
Records: Frank Cox (27-1); Deep Run (23-5)