Polk County honored its seniors Monday before the start of its regular-season home finale with Owen, and the Wolverines could just as easily held another party after the match.
There was a little matter of a conference championship to celebrate.
Polk County wrapped up sole possession of the Western Highlands Conference crown, polishing off Owen in straight sets. The 25-16, 25-10, 25-14 victory kept Polk’s two-game league lead over Hendersonville intact, the two teams meeting Tuesday in the final conference game for both.
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That one will be for pride and a shot at an undefeated conference record for the Wolverines (16-4, 11-0). Unlike last year’s dramatic season-ending match at Polk, when the Wolverines topped the Bearcats to split the WHC crown, the conference championship is already safely in Polk’s hands.
“This is well deserved for the girls, who worked really hard for this,” said Polk County head coach Molly Hill. “I’m really excited for them.”
“It’s so exciting I can’t even explain it,” said senior Savannah Ross, honored before the match along with fellow senior Ashley Love. “It’s the one thing you worked hard for all year and the reason you go to 5:30 in the morning practices and you finally achieve it. It’s indescribable.”
Mired in last place in the WHC, Owen (1-14, 1-9) dropped the first two sets without ever having the lead. The first set was close for a while, Polk leading 15-12 at one point, until the Wolverines closed on a 10-4 run. Polk then cruised through the second set, getting a Kendall Hall ace to close it out.
Little changed in the deciding set, save for Owen briefly leading at the outset, and Polk steadily built its margin before Love’s kill at set point ended the match.
Love had five kills and seven digs, with Ross adding 31 assists and three aces. Reagan Waddell finished with 16 kills, 11 digs and three aces, with Hall adding seven digs and two aces and Addie Lynch finishing with 10 kills.
