In a season filled with memorable moments for head coach Michelle Mury, back coaching Kelso’s volleyball team for the first time since 1996, she believes the best is yet to come with postseason starting this weekend.
Why? Two main things, the coach said.
“The chemistry,” Mury said, “and the purpose beyond themselves.”
She’s watched it all season, seeing her Hilanders win a share of the 3A Greater St. Helens League title, and did so again in Tuesday’s sweep of Prairie to earn the No. 1 seed to bi-districts. Set scores for the 3A GSHL tiebreaker match at Skyview High School were 25-19, 27-25, 25-14.
The Hilanders and Falcons shared the league title after each winning in four sets on their home floor during their two regular-season matches. Tuesday’s match at Skyview High School determined seeding.
Kelso heads to this weekend’s bi-district tournament at Capital High School of Olympia on Friday as the league’s No. 1 seed sweeping the Falcons 25-19, 27-25, 25-14. Prairie is the No. 2 seed to bi-districts Friday at Bonney Lake.
In Tuesday’s other league tiebreaker, Mountain View bested Hudson’s Bay in three sets to earn the league’s final playoff bid.
This season is Mury’s first coaching Kelso volleyball since 1996. It entered Tuesday’s match facing a Prairie team on an eight-match win streak, including a four-set win over Kelso on Oct. 23.
After tightly contested sets, including seven lead changes after 19-18 in the second set, it was all Kelso in the third set, 25-14, to earn the sweep.
It led by as much as 18-5 and 21-9, using a combination of six straight serving points by Allie Gaston (match-high seven blocks, 16 digs, four aces) and a string of miscommunication plays and unforced errors by Prairie to boost its lead.
Kelso entered bi-districts with three losses on the season, including two to Union and Camas to open the season. It last reached state the last time in 2000 when it went undefeated in league.
Mury has high hopes now, too, with a team that suffered just one league loss.
“It’s unbelievable,” she said. “They keep elevating, elevating, elevating.”
Bella Hadaller led Kelso with nine kills and six blocks and Erin Tack added seven kills. Rielee Groude had 22 digs, and setter Ashley Noah had 26 assists.
Katie Postma had a match-high 14 kills for Prairie. Sophia Carter added 11 kills and nine digs, Jamie Packer had 24 assists and Elissa Feeney had 11 digs.
MOUNTAIN VIEW 3, HUDSON’S BAY 0
By now, the Mountain View High volleyball team is accustomed to playing at less than full strength.
It’s been that way all season, head coach Rachael Howington said. Because of injuries, illness or academic commitments, she’s estimated her team has played at full strength once.
“That’s what our season has been all about,” she said.
Tuesday, the Thunder earned a bi-district playoff spot by sweeping Hudson’s Bay to earn the league’s final postseason berth. Hudson’s Bay’s season ends at 6-8.
The two teams split their regular-season matches, and the Thunder made it another sweep by winning, 25-23, 25-19, 25-19.
The Eagles, trailing two sets to none in the third set, pulled to a 11-all tie before Mountain View’s lead bloomed to 19-14. The Eagles got as close as 20-18.
Josie Davis had 11 digs and fives aces, Erika Strait had 17 assists and Kaila Bonawitz had six kills and six digs to lead the Thunder.
