The Wylie East volleyball team poses for pictures after defeating Garland in four sets in a play-in match at Sachse High School on Monday. Photo by David Wolman / C&S Media
By David Wolman
Although nothing was guaranteed for the Wylie East volleyball team during Monday’s play-in match against Garland, the Lady Raiders made sure that they were ready for the moment, bringing signs that read “We are playoff bound” and “playoffs 2025” to Sachse High School.
Moments after Wylie East defeated Garland 3-1 (25-14, 18-25, 25-20, 25-20) to earn a postseason berth and fourth place in District 9-6A, the Lady Raiders posed for pictures with the hand-made signs behind the baseline at the north end of the gymnasium.
Wylie East will play North Forney in the bi-district round of the Class 6A Division II playoffs at 7 p.m. Thursday at Forney High School.
“This team has overcome so much this season,” said Wylie East head coach Tasha Hallam. “We’ve had injuries and have tried to find the right groove. We had a whole new group of people this season. I’m just so proud of them. They have fought tooth and nail every single day and have worked really hard for today.”
Wylie East came into the season having to adjust to a new head coach and new player personnel after losing five seniors from last season’s team that made the third round of the playoffs and finished as the co-champion of District 9-6A.
Injuries have also plagued the Lady Raiders, including a lower-body injury to senior setter Jordan Turner, a University of Memphis commit who recently returned to the court after being sidelined for several weeks.
Injuries and all, Wylie East found its groove when it mattered the most. The Lady Raiders went 11-3 over their final 14 matches after starting 7-15 to qualify for the postseason. Monday marked the first time all season that Wylie East (19-18) has had a winning record.
The team’s growth showed in the first set.
Wylie East has been plagued by errors all season, but the Lady Raiders played one of their most error-free sets to begin Monday’s match. In fact, it was Wylie East that capitalizeed on errors by Garland. Whether it was hitting the ball out of bounds or miscommunication on a pass by the Lady Owls, the Lady Raiders converted mistakes by Garland into points.
Garland’s athleticism on the front row gave the Lady Owls a spark in the early going. Senior Anger Ngeth stepped up her play with three kills and a block over a span of six points, with her last kill reducing what had been a 9-3 Wylie East lead to 11-9. Ngeth posted another block just eight points later.
However, a service error on the ensuing point stalled Garland’s momentum. The Lady Raiders restored order on the very next point with a block by senior Siena Scholz. Scholz’s block ignited a 9-2 Wylie East run to end the first set.
“This group just has a silent, quiet confidence about them,” Hallam said. “We obviously get loud during the game, but they’re just locked in and focused. They just stepped onto the court with a lot of confidence tonight. I’m really proud of them.”
Although Garland cleaned up its mistakes and went on to win the second set by seven points, Adamic made a highlight-reel defensive play that showcased Wylie East’s determination on defense.
With the Lady Raiders needing to hit the ball over the net to avoid getting called for a four-touch violation, Adamic made a backwards pass traveled more than 80 feet and remained in the field of play.
“That was wild,” Hallam said. “She put all of her might into that ball. That was a huge momentum shift for us.”
Adamic was a two-way force for Wylie East, finsihng with 12 kills and five service aces.
Wylie East also used aggressive serving to keep Garland uncomfortable. The Lady Raiders racked up 10 aces on the evening, the last of which forced match point. Garland staved off three match points before Wylie East clinched the win moments later.
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