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The Spokesman-Review Newspaper
Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883

St. Maries Drops Into Losers Bracket

Dustin Newlun Correspondent

A-2 volleyball

After winning the A-2 state volleyball championship 10 years in a row (1984-1993) and attending the tournament the past four, St. Maries coach Mitch Santos is no stranger to the state atmosphere.

Santos has been through it all. You could probably even say he’s immune to the disappointments.

That seemed the case Friday night after losing 15-6, 13-15, 15-9 to Bear Lake in a winners-bracket matchup.

“I don’t feel bad about anything. We have nothing to be disappointed about. We came into state and played really well, so I can’t say we’re in a downer or in a slump,” said Santos. “We didn’t play bad at all. We don’t make it easy sometimes. But it’s been that way through the years. We’ve roller-coastered around with our luck. I’m proud of my girls because they battled.”

St. Maries opened the tournament at Coeur d’Alene High School with a 14-16, 17-15, 15-3 win over the Weiser Wolverines.

The 21-3 Lumberjacks will take on Moscow today at 11:30 a.m in a losers-bracket match. The winner will play the winner of the Weiser-Emmett match played at 10 a.m.

Wood River beat Emmett 16-14, 15-5. That puts Wood River and Bear Lake in the semifinals today at 1 p.m. The final is scheduled for 6:30 p.m.

Moscow was sent to the losers bracket by Wood River, 15-13, 15-6 in the first round.

In other earlier matches, Bear Lake held off the Shelly Russets 15-11, 16-14 and Emmett defeated Snake River 15-9, 15-12.

In loser-out matches, Weiser sent Shelley home 15-12, 3-15, 15-9 and Moscow defeated Snake River 15-5, 15-12.

In St. Maries’ winners-bracket match, 18 errors did in the Lumberjacks in the first game. The second game was close throughout, with St. Maries getting the final two points after a 13-all tie.

Bear Lake was fired up coming into the third game and raced to an 11-1 lead as 5-foot-11 Bears hitter Stephanie Kropushek pounded five kills.

St. Maries came back within two points as Jamie Hammes nailed five kills. But the match was decided when Kropushek, on match point, got a service winner.

Kropushek finished with 17 kills. Alicia Adams had 47 assists for St. Maries.

“It all depends on how the other team comes out and plays,” said Santos about the defeat. “They had the height advantage over us and they used it. Bear Lake is a very experienced team and they know what to do in any situation. We both knew we had to jump early and (Bear Lake) did. Their hitters did a great job of taking balls coming in.”

The Lumberjacks didn’t have any easier of a time with their first match after blowing a 7-2 first-game lead to Weiser.

Wolverine Mindyn Mullinix set the pace for her team as she served four straight points, taking them within two points of St. Maries. Three kills in a row by Laura Roberts gave Weiser the lead until Lumberjack Bridgette O’Dwyer tied it at 14 with a block. A hitting error by St. Maries gave up a point and Weiser’s Samantha Peterson ended the first game with a kill.

Hammes came alive in the second as she let loose nine of her 15 kills. Hammes battled the entire game with senior Wolverine Laura Roberts, who got 12 of her 22 kills. The duo swung back and forth until Hammes earned the sideout at 14-15.

Lumberjacks sophomore Tiffany Holdahl stepped up and served a winner, tying the game. Weiser was then hit with an illegal rotation violation. Holdahl finished it with another service winner.

In the third game, the Lumberjacks led from the start, taking a 12-1 lead en route to the win.

St. Maries’ O’Dwyer finished the match with 15 kills. Kim Reid had 13.

Hammes finished the evening with 32 kills in two matches.

“Jamie Hammes is having a monster tournament,” said Santos. “I saw her just hit a ball and smoke it down the line, and I’ve never seen Jamie get so excited in my life. She was jumping up and down like a little kid in a candy store, and that’s what we’re here for. We’re here for memories and to have something that will last a lifetime. Jamie will always remember the way she played.”

, DataTimes