By Romando Dixson  - Asheville Citizen-Times - October 18, 2008

The Asheville High volleyball team enters the 3-A state playoffs on a six-match winning streak.

This is big news for two reasons:

1. The Cougars won six matches during all of the 2007 season

2. Asheville, according to NCHSAA records, has qualified for the state playoffs only once before, back in 1987. The Cougars lost their opening round match.

So the Cougars (13-8) will be playing for the program's first postseason victory when they hit the road to play at Olympic (9-11) at 1:30 p.m. today.

“It feels good walking down the halls,” Asheville junior Cortney Rogers said. “Everyone's like, ‘Y'all are going to the playoffs.'

Before coach Ken Walker took over last year, the Cougars had not won a match since the 2004 season. This year, they finished with an 8-4 record in the Mountain Athletic Conference, making them third behind North Buncombe and champion Enka.

“They came in ready to go when the season started,” Walker said. “We put in the time this summer with conditioning, and they've done everything I've asked them to do.”

Rachel Lorenz is one of seven seniors on the team. She said it feels good to leave the program in good shape.

“These past two years we have worked really hard in trying to achieve our goal of having a winning season,” Lorenz said. “It's really nice to be able to leave something behind and be able to start a new program for the girls who are coming up the next couple of years.”

CSN Note:  Congratulations on a great season and good luck in the playoffs!