Throughout its six-year history, Warren Central’s volleyball team has taken slow, steady steps toward respectability.

It first established itself as a solid and growing team. Then it made the playoffs, had a winning season, and started a junior high feeder program to help sustain itself.

If the Lady Vikes ever want to break into the upper echelon of teams in Mississippi, however, they know what they need to do — win big matches like the one Tuesday at Madison Central.

Warren Central (12-10) will go on the road to take on the Lady Jags (22-11) in the first round of the MHSAA Class III playoffs at 6 p.m. Madison Central is a perennial playoff team with a talented roster. Scoring an upset win would give the Lady Vikes a big confidence boost and show they’re a team on the rise.

“It’s one of those things about gaining respect. The only way teams will be concerned against you is you have to play them as well as you can,” Warren Central coach Matt Gullett said. “I feel like we are getting closer to them.”

Warren Central has never beaten Madison Central in nine all-time meetings. In this year’s two matches, only one of the six games was particularly close.

Gullett said Madison has a combination of size and skill that’s hard to match up with.

“They’re so good and so tall. They have four or five girls on their team that are 6 foot,” Gullett said.

To counter Madison Central’s physical advantages, the Lady Vikes will rely on quickness and hustle. Junior hitter Sydney Stuart said that’s the team’s specialty.

“We’re willing to get down and dirty and put up a fight,” Stuart said. “We’re scrappy and try for everything and do what’s needed.”

WC is not oblivious to the fact it’s a decided underdog in this match, and a longshot to win a state title. Even if it gets by Madison Central, a potential matchup with two-time defending state champion Desoto Central looms in the second round.

A win or even just a good showing, though, would be another step in the program’s evolution. This will be the first winning season WCl has had, and its second consecutive playoff appearance.

“We have definitely gotten better this year. We’re really putting up a big fight,” Stuart said. “This is our second year to get in the playoffs. This year it was really good to make that accomplishment.”