JEFFERSON -- Already treading in unfamiliar territory, Jefferson girls volleyball coach Mike Paul borrowed a scene from "Hoosiers" as they prepared for a five-hour road trip to Savannah to play St. Vincent's Academy in the third round of the Class AA playoffs last week.
"I just told them that it was just another high school gym," Paul said. "We talked about just playing our game and letting our strengths come through. I guess it worked."
The Lady Dragons used that inspiration to beat the Lady Saints in a back-and-forth five-set match to advance to their first-ever Final Four round. Now, they will try to continue their historic run Wednesday against top-seed Westminster in Atlanta in the semifinals.
The match is scheduled to begin at 6 p.m. at the Westminster gym.
Until this season, Jefferson (34-11) had never advanced past the second round in the playoffs. Paul said the real key has been the closeness of the team and their desire to show people what they can do.
Against St. Vincent's, the Lady Dragons won the opening two sets but dropped the next two sets to set up a deciding fifth set. Paul said he watched as his team handled their own adversity.
"This team has great chemistry, probably the best of any team I've ever had," Paul said. "They play for each other and pick each other up. They regrouped themselves for that fifth set.
"They know what they can do and what they want to accomplish. I just kind of sat back and watched them get themselves prepared for what they needed to do. I was impressed."
In that fifth set, the Lady Dragons went back to their bread-and-butter: defense. They set up several key points with some well-timed blocks and rode the momentum to the win.
Paul said they will need everything they have to knock off the Lady Wildcats (25-11) who have not lost a set in the past five matches.
The Lady Dragons play nine players every match and have three players with nearly 200 kills or more -- Grace Williamson (234), Abby Wood (201), and Lindsey Nilsen (191). Bre Arbanas has 132 kills and they have two excellent setters in Madison Corbett and Paige Watson. Avery Mixon, Daniela Franco, and Olivia Przybysz round out the top nine rotation.
"It's going to be a tough match, no doubt. I would say we're a pretty big underdog," he said. "They're taller than us but everyone is. The key will be us just playing our style.
"Our strength is our balance. We have three of four girls we can go to and all of them play excellent defense. We have to keep rallies alive, we have to serve well, and we have to be aggressive. The teams that are the most aggressive typically come out on top."
No matter what happens, however, Paul said it has been a season to remember.
"I never dreamed that we would make it this far. Not because I didn't believe in our team, but because it's hard to make it to this point," he said. "They have made believers out of me. They're excited about this opportunity. I'm excited to see what they do with it."
NOTES: The Buford girls also advanced to the Final Four in Class AAA. The Lady Wolves, the No. 4 seed, will take on top-seeded St. Pius Wednesday in Atlanta.
The Lady Wolves had never advanced past the third round until knocking off North Oconee last week.
Tuesday
February 4th, 2025
6:48PM
