RALEIGH — Wakefield came out on top of an up-and-down girls’ high school volleyball match Thursday against Millbrook in a meeting between two of the area’s top teams.

The Wolverines used a rally late in the third set to take control and win 3-1 in Cap Eight play. Both teams entered the match undefeated in the conference.

Wakefield, ranked No. 9 among area teams, jumped out to a 19-3 lead in the first set.

The Wolverines’ powerful hitting was too much for Millbrook early on. When Millbrook was able to return the ball, Wakefield came through defensively and sailed to a 25-9 win.

In the second set, No. 10 Millbrook (10-3, 3-1) took a 10-4 lead and held on for a 25-14 win.

“We haven’t beat Millbrook a set since I started coaching here,” said Millbrook coach Julee Dickens, who has led the Wildcats for three years. “I have a team this year that doesn’t stop. They have the attitude that they won’t give up.”

With the match tied at one set apiece, the third and fourth sets were a bit more evenly played. The teams traded points early in a third set that featured five ties in the first 12 points before Millbrook began to pull away.

Wakefield had five service errors in the third set, struggling to take advantage of possessions.

“We didn’t follow our game plan,” said Wakefield coach Cynthia Terrell of the second and third sets. “When you have a lead you have to maintain it. I told them to get back to what you know and rely on what got you there.”

Terrell called a timeout with her team down 19-13. When the Wolverines came out of the huddle they surged to 8-0 run to take a 21-19 lead.

“We have to be able to play through fatigue,” Dickens said. “When you give that momentum back to them, they’re a stellar team – bottom line.”

Wakefield (6-1, 4-0) went on to take control with a 25-22 win in the third and used that momentum to win the fourth 25-18.

“Our conference is one of the toughest out there,” Terrell said. “Sometimes when you get that kind of lopsided score like that, it’s hard to stay up, but we didn’t give up. It was a great game.”

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