Showing heart and grit when it counted, the Lady Buffs battled back to earn a thrilling five-set victory over a hungry MSU-Denver team, 23-25, 25-23, 14-25, 25-22, 15-11, to capture their third straight NCAA Division II South Central Regional championship in front of a raucous crowd of 1,658 fans at the WTAMU Fieldhouse.
WTAMU moves to 31-3 overall and finishes its season at “The Box” a perfect 18-0. The reigning Division II national champions have now claimed an unprecedented 16th regional championship and will head back to the NCAA Division II Elite Eight to go for not only a repeat but the fifth title in program history (1990, 1991, 1997, 2022).
“It’s hard to put into words what all I’m feeling,” said WT head coach Kendra Potts, who is now 122-23 with the Lady Buffs. “We never gave up and showed that grit and effort that doesn’t show up on a stat sheet. That’s where we thrived in this match. I’m so proud of this team and they never quit. I’m grateful we’re giving ourselves a chance to go back to the Elite Eight. We just have to take the same approach we did last year and that’s focusing on what’s right in front of us.”
WT trailed in every set except the fifth. The Roadrunners took the wind out of a charged-up crowd 25-23 in the first set. The Roadrunners were in total control in the second set destined to take a 2-0 advantage leading 18-13. However, WTAMU responded behind sophomore hitter Emma Becker. Becker put a buzz into WTAMU with seven kills alone in the second set as the Lady Buffs went on a 12-5 run to tie the match 1-1.
“What Emma did in the second set was unbelievable,” Potts said. “She is the main reason we weren’t down 0-2. It’s just the little things like that. It takes one player to create a spark and it can flare up quick.”
Becker agreed with Potts’ comments.
“We play for each other,” said Becker who finished with 18 kills on the night. “I needed to be the best for the team. We always know even if we get blocked, I trust everyone around me to make a play. Knowing I have a great team behind me it’s easy to be a spark.”
MSU-Denver cruised in the third set to take a 2-1 lead and came out hot with a 5-0 lead in the fourth set. The Roadrunners even build the advantage at 20-15, but with WTAMU on the ropes, once again that grit kicked in and the Lady Buffs came roaring back to force a fifth and final set going on a 10-5 run.
With all the momentum, WTAMU raced out to a 10-4 lead in the fifth and were able to put the match away at the end thanks to a Taytum Stow kill.
“We looked at each other in the huddle and we said we’re about to create the coolest story we’ve ever created as a team and we’re going to tell this story for the rest of our lives when we when the fourth set and win the fifth. That’s literally what we said and it was awesome to see it happen.”
“It was definitely emotional to go out and play my last gave ever in “The Box”,” said Miller, who sits at 1,941 kills for her career. “I looked up in the crowd and I soaked it all in. This was special to win one more regional and win it in front of these amazing fans.”
Canyon graduates Carly Evetts, Bryli Contreras, Hereford graduate Taytum Stow, and Amarillo High grad Piper Warren all played major factors in the huge victory.
Along with captain Torrey Miller, Evetts, Contreras and Stow were selected to the All-Tournament team.
Evetts, a senior, went for seven kills and three blocks, Contreras played tremendous defense with 25 digs, Stow tallied seven of the Lady Buffs 15 blocks and Warren came off the bench to play clutch minutes in the second and fourth set.
“I was a 10-year-old when I watched the Lady Buffs win a national championship at the Amarillo Civic Center,” Potts said. “That planted the seeds for me to be a Lady Buff early in my life. These players from the Texas Panhandle playing for us now are no different. I’m grateful that these girls are such a great example for our program and this area.”
Miller echoed Potts’ comment.
“What Piper Warren did coming off the bench was incredible,” Miller said. “She was ice cold and misses practices two days a week because she’s a nursing student. But she came right in and made some great passes. Passes I wasn’t making. That shows how much we all show up for each other.”
“The energy of the crowd was incredible,” Potts said. “I’ve had to take a moment and let it all sink in because I’m just super grateful. There isn’t a lot of places like “The Box” in the country. This is what the Texas Panhandle does. They just show up. I’m grateful for the fans and the culture.”