Coach Stephanie Kane’s Norman North volleyball team played for a state title last season.

A year later, earning the same opportunity appears very much in the cards.

Thursday night, playing away from home at Bixby, the Timberwolves took care of business just as they have in 15 of 16 matches this season, sweeping the Spartans 3-0 (25-13, 25-21, 25-23).

To date, North, which is ranked No. 3 in Class 6A and receiving three first-place votes from the coaches, has only lost to the second-ranked Edmond Santa Fe. 

That match, a 3-1 setback, came during the Union Varsity Tournament. Since, North has won 10 straight matches and 28 of 30 sets, only dropping sets to fourth-ranked Stillwater and ninth-ranked Broken Arrow.

Unbeaten Deer Creek sits atop the coaches' poll.

Thursday, middle blocker and Tarleton State commitment Lauren Kersey led North with 10 kills and a .457 hitting percentage.

Angel Robinson, a Virginia Tech commitment, finished with six kills and five blocks.

Caitlyn Young added six kills, Jazlynn Gordon added five blocks and libero Logan Matthews led defensively with 15 digs.

“I just think that we’re growing the right direction and we’re not peaking too early,” Kane said.

Serious regular-season tests remain.

Next up for North is a Monday trip to sixth-ranked Jenks. On Sept. 19, the T-Wolves travel to fifth-ranked Edmond North and, on Sept. 26, at the North Gym, eighth-ranked Norman High visits for the regular season’s lone Crosstown Clash.

By all accounts, North is very much on schedule.

“Yeah,” Kane said, “it’s perfect so far.”

Hard to be better than that.
