For the second straight season, Frisco Wakeland is headed to the Class 5A Region 2 volleyball tournament, but the Wolverines had to fight off a comeback from Frisco Liberty.
The Wolverines lost a 2-0 lead before winning in five 25-10, 25-14, 24-26, 20-25, 15-13 in a Class 5A Region 2 quarterfinal on Tuesday at Prosper Rock Hill.
Liberty, #3 in the final GM Sports Media 5A rankings, was District 10-5A champ.
The Redhawks end the season 34-8.
Wakeland (32-6), #1 in the final poll, advances to the regional semifinals to play the winner of Forney and Lovejoy back at Rock Hill on Friday. The regional final is set for Saturday.
Liberty, which lost to Wakeland in this round 3-0 last season, built a lead in the fifth set 9-6 after a kill from star outside MJ McCurdy (Texas State) and a block by Jaiden Harris. But Wakeland scored four of the next five points to pull within 10-9 behind a block by LSU commit Jessica Jones.
A violation by Liberty tied the set at 11 and Wakeland took a 12-11 lead on a kill from Army commit Keala Bandy. The Wolverines finished out strong to eliminate the Redhawks and advance.
After Wakeland dominated the first two sets, Liberty answered back.
McCurdy had 13 kills just in the third set and her 13th went off the block to give the Redhawks a 26-24 lead and stay in the match. McCurdy had five of Liberty’s first six points and led 6-2 in the third. Wakeland cut the lead to 11-10 before Liberty extended the lead to 17-13.
The Wolverines were able to break three set points before Liberty won.
Liberty controlled the fourth with a strong start.
The Redhawks led 8-4 on a Wakeland error and then 15-5 on a kill by Aziyah Farrier. A Harris kill pushed it to 17-8, but the Wolverines fought back. A kill by Hannah Lee cut the lead to 20-15. But Liberty sent it to the fifth after an ace by Riley Wong.
Kills by Jones and Bandy pushed Wakeland in front 10-5 and 16-9 in the second. An error by Liberty gave Wakeland the win in the second set for a 2-0 lead.
The Wolverines won District 9-5A.
