With a 4-4 record at roughly the one-third mark of the 2024 season though, the streaks are in jeopardy.

Sarai McFadden (middle hitter), Litzy Delgado (defensive specialist, right side), Elyanna Sanchez (libero), Kameron Holman (middle hitter), Lily Stires (setter), Briana Beaton (outside hitter), Mikaiyah Blackmon (outside hitter) and Senaia Asanya (right side) make up the Wekiva roster.

Five of the players or 63 percent of the roster is made up of seniors. Lorenz was refering to all having been on the varsity team for at least the last two seasons.

Victories have been earned against the Leesburg Yellow Jackets, Orlando Christian Prep Warriors, Oak Ridge Pioneers and Edgewater Eagles.

Taking on the Cypress Creek Bears and the Foundation Academy Lions were measuring stick contests despite losing. Cypress Creek is ranked 45th in Class 7A (Maxpreps.com) with a 4-2 record at the time. The seventh position in the Class 2A rankings and record of 5-1 is held by the Lions. The only way to get better is to compete against better teams.

Losses by a 3-0 score (sets) totaled 18 last season. Through the first half of the 2024 season, the five victories translate to a much lower total of 13 at most as well. Ten matches remain. Margin of victory per set during the losses has also decreased from 18 points to 13 as well.

On the other side (offense) and from 15.2 to 22.5 tallies scored per set, the improvement has been equally substantial.

Average score of a set is 25-17 during victories. Losses are by an average score of 25-13 per set, reflective of only three sets needed to decide both.

At 55 in total and 2.00 per set, Mikiyah Blackmon leads the team in kills. Holman (36), Brianna Beaton (33) and Sarai McFadden (31) have provided complimentary numbers for kills with totals in the 30s.

Blackmon also leads the team with 17 aces (serves), followed by DelGado, Sanchez and Stires, also in the teens. 

Topping the digs statistic is Blackmon as well with 105 total and an average of 3.89 per set. Another combined 185 digs have been delivered by Sanchez (95) and Beaton (90).

A Setters’ role in volleyball is the equivalent of Quarterback’s in football and do what the name says, set up teammates’ touches. Lily Stires’ numbers as the setter have improved dramatically compared to last season. Because the quarterback, the difference in records can be most attributed to 149 assists tallied by Stires only eight matches into this season and 123 for all of last season.

The rest of the schedule is made up of contests against the Crooms Academy Panthers (Sept. 17), Metro Conference Championship Tournament (opponents to be determined, Sept. 19, 21), Lyman Greyhounds (Sept 23), South Sumter Raiders (Sept. 24), Evans Trojans (Sept. 26), Lake Buena Vista Vipers (Sept. 30), Colonial Grenadiers (Oct. 1), Ocoee Knights (Oct. 8) and Winter Springs Bears (Oct. 9).

Wekiva is a member of District 6A-4. The championship tournament is scheduled for October 14, 15 and 17 at Edgewater. Top two seeds earn byes during the first round. All six members of the district compete in the tournament. The Edgewater Eagles, Horizon Hawks, Lake Buena Vista Vipers, Lake Minneola Hawks and South Lake Eagles are also members of District 6A-4.