By Angela Watts
Content Editor
So much attention is paid to Langley standout senior setter Megan Shifflett and standout senior middle blocker Lisa Scott that it is easy to overlook how good the rest of the Saxons are themselves.
And even better: Together they’ve proved nearly unstoppable.
Langley earned its first Northern Region championship since 1998 with a 25-14, 25-19, 25-20 victory over Chantilly Saturday night at Centreville High School. The three-game sweep was certainly fitting. The Saxons did not drop a single game in any of its four Northern Region tournament victories over Fairfax, Yorktown, Centreville and Chantilly.
“I can’t put into words how much this means to me,” said Shifflett, who added tournament MVP honors to her list of post-season accolades, which includes Liberty District and Northern Region Player-of-the-Year awards. “It’s amazing. As soon as we hit the regional tournament it really sunk in that this is the last time I get to play with these girls and get to play for my mom [Coach Sue Shifflett] ever … and so one slip up and it’s over and I never get it back again.
“This is my last chance and I want so badly to make the most of it.”
Shifflett had plenty of help from all sides in this one. Scott (6-feet-3) and freshman middle Audrey Dotson (6-0) were downright relentless on both quick sets in the middle and beautifully-placed back sets to the outside. Outside hitters Elizabeth Chin, a senior, and Logan Sebastian, a junior, fired shot after shot that even Chantilly’s stout defense could not get under. Scott and junior opposite Mattie Gray continually harassed the Chargers’ offense with well-timed blocks. Sophomore libero Elyse Richardson, along with defensive specialists Christina Bumpas, made one perfect pass after another. And seniors Michelle Bredehoft and Rebecca Lee came in off the bench to spark the Saxons’ service game.
“We really are a complete team,” Megan Shifflett said. “When people focus too much on me and Lisa they miss so much. They miss Logan, who has been incredible this season and has come through for us so many times in the clutch. They miss Elyse, our libero, who has just been a gift. I can’t put into words how much our defense has changed having her back there. They miss Audrey, who is just a freshman but things started clicking for her early on and it never stopped. … And just so, so much more. They miss us.”
Chantilly, led by sophomore middle Allison Williams and senior libero Vicki Chung, stayed with Langley early in Game 1 until Lee came in and rattled off six straight service points to turn a mere 16-13 lead into a 22-13 advantage. Game 2 followed suit, with the Saxons jumping to a 12-3 lead on the strength of Richardson’s serves and Sebastian’s power on the outside. The third and final game proved the most competitive — Chantilly took its first lead of the match in Game 3 at 14-13 on an ace by sophomore Joanna Powers and led again at 15-14 on a tip by sophomore Samantha Reeves — but that’s when Langley pulled away.
The Saxons (22-1) closed out the match on back-to-back kills by Chin from the left side and a Charger error to earn both the regional title and a home game in the quarterfinal round of the Virginia AAA state tournament. Langley will host Eastern Region runner-up Princess Anne (17-9) at 7 p.m. on Tuesday. Chantilly (17-5) must travel to face Cox (26-0), which won its fourth consecutive Eastern Region title by defeating Princess Anne, 25-23, 25-17, 25-17.
Winners will advance to the state semifinals, which will be held at 5 and 7 p.m. Thursday at VCU’s Siegel Center in Richmond. The state title game is
“It’s fantastic to win the Northern Region and to be able to leave this legacy for everybody else coming through the program to show them what Langley volleyball can really do,” Scott said. “But we’re not about to stop. We really want to push it hard now. We know it’s going to be a challenge, but it’s a challenge we welcome. We really hope to show everybody in the state what we can do.”
2007 Northern Region All-Tournament Team
L Vicki Chung, Sr., Chantilly; L Jackie Moot, Sr., Centreville; MB Lisa Scott, Sr., Langley; OH Logan Sebastian, Jr., Langley; S Megan Shifflett, Sr., Langley; S Lily Vera, Jr., Stone Bridge; MB Allison Williams, Soph., Chantilly.
Tournament MVP: Megan Shifflett.
** To see a complete photo gallery taken by professional photographer Jesse Neider, go to http://www.printroom.com/ViewGallery.asp?userid=dsmvp&gallery_id=904793.
** Also, check the video player on the home page, or click on the “Volleyball” sports central link at the top of the page to watch video highlights from all three games between Langley and Chantilly.
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