BUFORD — After a semifinal run in Class 5A in 2019, the expectations for the Buford girls volleyball team were internally high, no matter that they were moving up to Class 6A in 2020.
They did not disappoint themselves.
After a 3-0 sweep of Kennesaw Mountain last week in the Class 6A semifinals, the Lady Wolves are on the verge of their first state title since winning the 5A title in 2016.
Buford (32-2) will take on 2018 Class 6A state champion Pope (31-1) in Saturday’s 5 p.m. finals at the Lakepoint Sports Complex in Cartersville. It will be a showdown of the classification’s top two teams and will be a best-of-five sets.
Lady Wolves coach Hadli Daniels said they are expecting a dogfight from the opening serve. Only Pope has a higher win-percentage (.969) than the Lady Wolves (.941) in Class 6A. The Lady Greyhounds took out 2019 state champion Sequoyah (3-2) in the semfinals.
“I expected Pope to be in the finals. I felt we could get here so now that we are, we’re looking to win it,” Daniels said. “I really see this perhaps going five sets. It should be a great, competitive match.”
The teams are almost a mirror-image of each other. Both are strong in the middle and on the outside with a pair of hitters and blockers that have been tough to stop. Both also feature solid setters that drive the offense.
Buford returned its entire roster from last season, including Region 8-5A Player of the Year in junior blocker Mikayla Hayden. Sophomore power hitter Ashley Sturzoiu returned as did senior libero Macy Upshaw and senior setter Grace Adams.
Hayden (297) and Sturzoiu (203) have been a powerful force combining for 500 kills in 2020. Hayden has added 68 blocks and sophomore Sydney Austin has added 46 blocks as well. But Adams has driven the offense with a whopping 660 of the team’s 944 total assists.
“That’s not that unusual because you want your setter to get things going. You have to have a good setter and Grace is the glue that keeps us together,” Daniels said. “We would not have had the year we’ve had without her play. She and Macy have really stepped up their leadership and that has been huge for us as well. They really don’t get rattled and keep the younger girls calm.”
But Hayden has been a huge target for opposing defenses sometimes drawing triple-blockers to take her out of the offense. Juniors Kiana Polk and Camryn Carlton both have been called on to fill the gap.
“You have to have depth to get this far,” Daniels said. “We know teams look to take Mikayla out of the game if possible. She’s so good she’s still going to her chances. She doesn’t miss often when she does. But Kiana and Camryn both have been key parts of the offense when they’ve been called on.”
It may be the first match in the playoffs where the Lady Wolves, who come in riding a nine-match win streak, are a perceived underdog. The Lady Greyhounds have won 18 straight matches and their only loss was to Class 7A Roswell in five sets.
Daniels said they are just fine with that.
“I would think that most people that know the sport will look at us as the underdogs,” she said. “We’re very much okay with that. It may take a little pressure off of us. Pope won a title two years ago and has been crushing people since their loss to Roswell.
“But we also feel our depth is a big weapon for us. Hopefully we can use that against (Pope) and open things up for our big hitters when we need them. On tape, the few times they have gone four or five sets they have gotten tired. If we can push them to five sets, I really like our chances.”
