With the Eastern Plains Conference slate in the rearview, the Pam Pack volleyball teams is using the final days before the start of postseason play to work out the kinks in the rotation and prepare for tougher competition.

“I’m excited that we put ourselves in a position to win the conference and now we put ourselves in the position to win the conference tournament championship,” said head coach Kelly Slade. “We’re really working towards getting better for the playoffs, so these extra two games are giving us a great opportunity to work on some things we need to tweak.

Washington defeated Southwest Edgecombe, 3-0, on Tuesday, but the match was hardly a blowout. Against what is likely the toughest team in the conference, the Cougars moved the ball well and tested the Pam Pack, forcing the starting six to exert maximum effort.

Hitter Adriana Tyson finished with 19 kills, eight blocks and four aces in the winning effort. The contest also showcased the improvement of Slade’s pair of sophomore setters, Briley Waters and Sarah Lynch, two players who have really found their niche on the court over the last few months. The duo finished with a combined 48 assists. And with the defensive prowess of seniors Allison Brantley and Alexis Brooks, the Pam Pack is primed to make an even deeper playoff run.

“We’re just getting balls that we normally aren’t getting,” Slade said. “We now know the right sports to be in and we’re getting to those spots and communicating with each other.”

As Slade continues to check off the objectives the team set in the offseason, Washington is moving closer and closer to its ultimate goal of a state championship. But there’s still work to do, although the time for coaching fundamentals seems to be at an end.

Using a core group of five seniors, four of whom have played together since middle school, Washington is looking to win two consecutive playoff games for the first time in the Slade era.

The first round of the playoffs is schedule for Saturday. With a strong performance in the regular season and conference tournament, Washington has locked up a home game in Round 1.