Volleyball: Wink nips Sterling City to tuck away regional berth

MIDLAND The Wink Lady Cats are going to the Region I-1A Tournament for the seventh consecutive year.

This year, Wink really had to earn the berth.

Wink advanced by defeating Sterling City 21-25, 25-20, 25-23, 26-28, 15-11 in a regional quarterfinal match at Midland Christian High School.

“It was pretty nip and tuck,” Wink coach Peggy Hill said. “It's a great feeling. I'm very excited.”

Junior Trinity Walker helped Wink go on a 7-1 run to close the match. She had two kills and an ace to help the Lady Cats erase a 10-8 deficit and close out the match.

Walker had 26 kills, five blocks, six digs and three aces.

It was the second consecutive five-game win for Wink, which defeated Marfa in five games in the area round. Walker had 27 kills in that match.

“She's very important,” Hill said. “The kids look up to her, but we can't depend only on her. Everyone on this team is a hitter.”

The Region I-1A tournament will be this weekend at Lubbock Christian University.

Sterling City forced a fifth game by twice staving off match point at the end of Game 4, and Darcy Musick scored four of the last five points on kills to foce a fifth game. The Lady Eagles led 23-21 in Game 4, but Wink took a 25-24 lead.

Wink was playing with just two seniors in a season that was supposed to be a down year, but even with no seniors in the starting lineup Wink was able to overcome a Game 1 loss and a deficit in Game 5.

Lyndi Shackelford had 11 kills and 22 assists for Wink, while Celesta Turnbo had 11 digs and three blocks.

“I'm sure they were thinking about it,” Hill said about continuing the streak of region tournament appearances. “We only had three returners and only one starter, but I knew we had to find a way to make it happen.”

Class 1A Regional Quarterfinals

Wink def. Sterling City

21-25, 25-20, 25-23, 26-28, 15-11

Tuesday, At Midland Christian School

Kills — Wink: Trinity Walker 26, Lyndi Shackelford 11, Whitney Garland 8.

Blocks — Wink: Trinity Walker 5, Celesta Turnbo 3, Taryn Curtis 3.

Assists — Wink: Allison Garcia 28, Lyndi Shackelford 22.

Digs — Wink: Jasmine Solis 20, Celesta Turnbo 11, Trinity Walker 6.

Aces — Wink: Trinity Walker 3, Jasmine Solis 2.