More years than not, Woodland’s annual Volley for a Cure event seems to give the Warriors girls volleyball team a little extra oomph.

An honest, self-evaluating team meeting and some resulting rotational changes didn’t seem to hurt either, as Woodland got off to a quick start Wednesday and survived a thrilling late rally from the visiting Leland Panthers to prevail in two sets in Volley for a Cure night at the Warrior Dome, 25-17, 28-26.

“Before we played tonight, we came here and switched some things around,” said Warriors senior libero Jaylei Leininger, who contributed a team-high 13 digs to the nonconference victory. “We’ve kind of been struggling ... but I think after our talk, it just took that to realize how badly we all want it.

“We all need to play as a team. We all want this, so we need to come together if we want to win.”

In addition to Leininger’s baker’s dozen of digs, Sydney Wright provided six digs, Layna Wilcoxen two aces and four kills, Gracie Milligan 11 assists, Adrianna Kuehn seven assists and two kills, Izzy Moore a pair of kills and Grace Longmire three stuff blocks and a match-best dozen kills – including the match-winner – to lead Woodland (6-14).

“We did a little bit of a changeup,” Woodland coach Michelle Pitte said. “We had to change our defense, and we had to change some positions. And with that, change is good, and I think tonight it was obvious that we had the right people in the right spots. ...

“We play really well for [Volley for a Cure]. I think the girls go out there and give their all for the people they’re honoring. Our school is big on leaning into each other in tough moments.”

Leland, too, played a strong match, especially during a second set that saw the Panthers (9-8) rally late for a chance at set point at 25-24 following a clutch Emma Elder kill. Woodland, however, got a set-saving sideout on the first of three Longmire kills in extra points, her tip at 27-26 to end a back-and-forth, 30-second rally the match-ender.

Leading Leland were Macey Kinney (eight assists, nine digs, one ace), Ava Winckler and Elder (three kills apiece) and Izzy Podnar (three kills, 10 digs).

“I thought we had a lot more energy the second set and came out a lot stronger than in the first set,” Podnar said. “I thought we might have had that one. ...

“[But this season so far, being above .500 in October] has definitely been rewarding. It just shows how much we’ve grown. It’s been a lot of the same girls for four years, lots of us being freshmen on the varsity. We’ve just improved little by little each year.”

Woodland led the entirety of the opening set before what would prove to be a roller coaster of a second set. It started with a Longmire kill, saw Leland rally to lead by as many as three points (14-11) after an Elder stuff block and Micki Hernandez service point, then Woodland retake the advantage, lose it to give Leland a set-point opportunity, then regain it and put the win away by winning four of the final five volleys.

Prior to the match, every Woodland player in the program took the court accompanied either by a cancer survivor or a photo of a friend or relative lost to the disease.

“To be able to take someone we love and hold that memory of them, or someone who has struggled so hard and play for them and give our all for them after they gave their all in their battle with cancer, I just think it brings everyone together,” Leininger said.

“Everyone’s excited for it. Everyone’s here for the same reason.”