LACEY – Just minutes after a semifinal loss at the Class 2A state volleyball tournament, Ridgefield coach Sabrina Dobbs gathered her players for the season’s last pregame talk.
With a third-place trophy on the line, a team that showed resiliency all season would have to bounce back once again.
“We were like ‘we gotta get third, we deserve to get third,’” Dobbs said. “I told them how proud I was of them. I wanted them to wipe away whatever was left from that game and get a fresh new start.”
Ridgefield went on to beat White River in four sets to capture its second third-place trophy in three years at St. Martin’s University.
Ridgefield (17-4) ended its season by winning nine of its last 10 matches. After finishing second in the 2A Greater St. Helens League, a Spudders team with just four seniors can bask in a district title and the highest state finish of any Clark County team.
“A lot of people didn’t expect us to make it to state,” senior Haley Paul said. “It feels really good to prove them wrong. It has been a really tough ride, but it ended well.”
Ridgefield didn’t always play the prettiest volleyball at state. But its hallmarks were poise and resiliency – diving digs to extend rallies, execution in the service game and the avoidance of net violations or other errors.
“I think we really stressed mental toughness this year,” said senior Kenadi McCaskill. “Last year we lacked that, especially at state. I think our team will do just fine next year without us.”
Ridgefield entered Saturday having swept its first-round and quarterfinal foes. But the Spudders ran into an equally hot team in Lynden, which had won six of its past seven matches to reach its first semifinal since 2008.
Lynden won in straight sets 25-20, 25-17, 25-21. The Spudders couldn’t neutralize the triple threat of Abi Broussard, Savonne Sterk and Isabelle Jacob, who combined for 30 kills. Lynden (16-6) lost to Burlington-Edison in the championship match.
“We were disappointed, but not super down because the team we played was so good,” McCaskill said.
Against White River (19-3), the Spudders dropped the first set 25-21. Ridgefield won the second set 30-28, finally closing it out on its fourth set point. The Spudders won the third set 25-23 and the fourth 25-20.
Ridgefield has reached the state tournament seven of the past eight years, winning a trophy three years in a row. With eight players back next year, including first-year all-leaguer Delaney Nicoll, the Spudders hope to be back for more.
“Next year it’s the same thing, who is going to step up to the plate?” Dobbs said. “Who is going to fill those shoes. We’re going to be strong in the future. I have no doubt about that.”
RIDGEFIELD 3, WHITE RIVER 1
21-25, 30-28, 25-23, 25-20
Ridgefield
Highlights – not available.
LYNDEN 3, RIDGEFIELD 0
25-20, 25-17, 25-21
Ridgefield
Highlights – Anika Nicoll 3 kills, 2 blocks; Delaney Nicoll 11 kills, 7 assists 2 blocks, 2 digs; Kenadi McCaskill 2 aces, 16 digs; Haley Paul 1 ace, 6 kills, 9 digs; Kohana Fukuchi 1 ace, 16 assists, 3 digs; Kameryn Reynolds 1 kill, 2 blocks.
