Two weeks ago, Izzi Strand and Emerson Wilford met for Boba tea and volleyball talk.
"We sat down, and we were like 'Hey, we've got this together," Strand said. "Our connection has gotten a lot better since then. We know how to talk to each other."
That conversation is part of Wilford's ongoing rise in stature for Shocker volleyball. Wilford, a sophomore outside hitter, is fourth on the team with 91 kills, averaging 2.12 a set, and fifth with 49 digs. She leads the Shockers with five solo blocks and is third with 28 block-assists.