Ava Dickens performs for the Colquitt County volleyball team.

MOULTRIE – Number four seeds can expect quality opponents in their playoff openers and the Colquitt County volleyball team is no exception.

But the Lady Packers will face a particularly difficult foe when they travel to Marietta in Cobb County on Tuesday to open the state playoffs.

Walton High is the Region 3 champion and it has an impressive volleyball resume.

The Lady Raiders are 22-6 overall, are 5-0 in Region 3 play and are ranked No. 1 in Class 7A.

But that tells only part of the story.

Walton has won 14 state championships and in 2017 was declared the high school national champion.

Colquitt will be a long shot to advance.

Despite improved play this season, the Lady Packers still finished fourth in the Region 1 tournament held Thursday at Tift County.

The Lady Packers fell to eventual tournament winner Lowndes in the first round and then lost in four sets to Camden County in the battle for third place.

Camden took the first set 25-14, but the Lady Packers evened things up in the second set, winning 25-20.

But the Lady Wildcats won the next two sets 25-15 and 25-16.

Colquitt got a victory over Lowndes when the two teams met on the William Bryant Court two weeks ago. The Vikettes won the first set, but Colquitt won the next two 25-18 and 15-13.

Coach Julia Okongwu was pleased with her team’s performance that day and said she thinks it lays the groundwork for improved play in the future.

“It was awesome,” she said. “They had that fight in them. They made so many hustle plays.”

Although the Lady Packers came up short in the region tournament, Okongwu said her team is improving.

Defeating Lowndes was a start.

“I think beating the No. 1 team in the region can be a stepping stone for our girls,” Okongwu said of the Lady Packers, who took a 13-11 record into the region tournament. “We are growing. “

The Lady Packers sends out a lineup that included five sophomores – Olivia Davis, Wynn Kinsey, Jaina Turner, Kate Summerlin and Yuseline Gonzalez – and the team’s lone senior, Josie Wade.

The rest of the roster includes juniors Maycee Lowery, Ava Dickens and TakiyaTuff and sophomore Jewelia Chambers.

Also in the first round of the state tournament, Lowndes will be home to face Harrison, the No. 4 team from Region 3 and region runner-up Tift County will play host to Hillgrove.

Camden County will travel to North Cobb, which is ranked No. 5 in Class 7A.