CHOCOWINITY — The Washington and Southside volleyball teams started out yesterday’s match rather evenly, but the Pam Pack eventually proved to be too much for the Seahawks, winning 25-17, 25-6, 25-11, for Washington’s second victory over Southside this season.

The two squads started out the match trading points and were tied at 7-7. Washington (3-2) proceeded to take a two-point lead at 10-8, prompting Southside (0-4) head coach Atyana Starkie to call a timeout. Unfortunately for the Seahawks, their timeout didn’t have the intended effect, as the Pam Pack came out of the break on fire and took a 15-8 lead.

Southside responded with a run of its own, cutting Washington’s lead to two points, at 17-15. This time it was Washington head coach Mallory Lee’s turn to call a timeout and settle things down for her team. The Pam Pack came out of the break on a mission, closing out the set at 25-17.

After sitting out the first set, Emme Davis entered in the second set and made an immediate impact. With the junior serving, Washington went on a big run, taking a commanding 14-2 lead. Southside never recovered in the set, as the Pam Pack won, 25-6.

“I thought the first set was really rocky. They have a tendency to do that, but I though the second set they played phenomenal. Not only were (the Seahawks) not returning the ball, but we were truly scoring our own points, which is something we’ve really been focusing on,” Lee said. “The first set we were in a weird position because my starting setter (Elisa Wilkins) before the game said she couldn’t play. She was having some medical stuff. And during warm-ups, Emme Davis couldn’t move her shoulder. So we had to randomly change the lineup immediately, and I think that threw them off, but then they took care of it.“

Washington wasn’t quite as dominant in the third set, but still won it convincingly, 25-11. Despite not playing the first set because of an issue with her shoulder, Davis was one of the most impactful players on the court. Lee also pointed to Emma Tucker and Hannah Respess, who helped cover for Wilkins’ absence, as players who had strong games.

“She (Respess) really pulled it together and kind of took over the starting setter position,” Lee said.

Starkie liked how her team came out of the gates yesterday, but felt her players were their own worst enemies in the match.

“We started off really strong, but in the second and third set, we got into our own heads way too much. We beat up on ourselves too much,” Starkie said. “I tell the girls all the time that no matter how much I believe in them, I can’t do it for them and they have to believe. They’ll make an error, one or two, and they take it to heart.”