DALEVILLE, Ind. — Tied 1-1 in her team's sectional semifinal match, Daleville volleyball head coach Valorie Wells thought her team looked uptight.
The hosting Broncos were playing Tri-Central, the same opponent they beat a season ago to win the program's first sectional title since 2016. That group enjoyed success for the first time, but now with a more experienced roster led by eight seniors, there were expectations to advance to regionals again.
Wells first told her girls to relax, then offered some useful analysis. She told senior setter Emilee Finley, who has more than 2,000 career assists, to feed senior Amarah McPhaul and sophomore Trishell Johnson, hitters who's athleticism Wells felt the Trojans couldn't match.