The standout Lakeland High School girls’ volleyball team drew four All-Conference 27 selections, led by first-team honoree Makayla Byrum, during a season in which the Lady Cavaliers qualified for the regional playoffs.

It was the first time they had qualified since the 1990s, when they played at the Group AAA level.

The Lady Cavs’ 2015 season ended when they fell in straight sets to Warhill High School in the first round of the regional tournament, but Lakeland coach Emily Craig did not lose sight of the important milestone reached.

“We went to regionals, which is a big step for our girls,” she said.

The Lady Cavaliers finished the season with an overall record of 7-14. They went 3-0 against conference opponents during the regular season and defeated Phoebus High School during the conference tournament semifinals but lost to Tabb High School in the title game.

Despite falling short in that tourney, when it came to Conference 27 for the season, “we still had the best stats out of everyone,” Craig said.

Lady Cavaliers junior outside hitter Makayla Byrum made the all-conference first team, senior outside hitter Madison Davis made the second team, and senior middle hitter DeMari Turner and junior libero Meagan Patterson received honorable mention.

“I’m extremely happy with the girls in the teams that they made,” Craig said. “I do believe that we could have been represented more. I feel like we could have more girls on first team and on second team, easily, especially with the stats that we had going into this. But it is what it is at the end of the day.”

There was no mystery to the coach on why her peers voted Byrum onto the first team.

“All you have to do is watch her play, and you know that she’s first-team material,” Craig said. Noting Byrum is a junior who has not played an abundance of volleyball, the coach added, “She’s just a natural athlete that takes to it very easily. She really has a feel for the ball.”

Byrum was the Lady Cavaliers’ kill leader for the year, recording 42 winners.

Madison Davis, who was a team captain for Lakeland along with DeMari Turner and senior setter Arneka Perry, finished the season with 26 kills.