Tigers don’t settle for second at regional

RICHLAND – Lewis and Clark senior Chloe Rowand had had her fill of runner-up finishes at big volleyball tournaments.

Second to Mead at state two years ago. Second to Mead at the 4A Eastern Regional last year. Second to Mead at state again a year ago.

And now, with Kamiakin grabbing a 2-1 lead in the finals of this year’s 4A regional at Art Dawald Gym, the middle blocker faced the prospect of watching another team celebrate at her team’s expense.

“In past years, we’re used to coming in second in these tournaments,” said Rowand, who has orally committed to Auburn. “But this year, we’re like, ‘Not this time. It’s our turn now.’ ”

Rowand came up big in the final two sets, getting 10 kills and three blocks in the fourth and fifth sets to lead top-ranked LC to a 25-17, 19-25, 22-25, 25-18, 15-12 victory over the fifth-ranked Braves for the Tigers’ second regional title in three years.

“We’ve battled all year from behind,”said LC coach Julie Yearout, clutching the championship plaque tightly to her chest. “These girls have been the underdogs for a long time. The seniors have been on the floor when we finished second two years ago and again last year. They have that experience.

“They know what it felt like before, and they know what they want it to feel like now.”

LC, Kamiakin and Mead grabbed the three available berths to next week’s state tournament at Toyota Center in Kennewick. Mead’s Panthers, ranked No. 3 in the state, bounced back from a five-set semifinal loss to the Braves to beat Pasco and Eisenhower in the consolation bracket and claim the final spot.

“I’m just glad to see us both go,” Yearout said. “With only two seeds from the GSL, it’s nice to have both of us going.”

The Tigers defeated Eisenhower in four sets in the semifinals before tangling with Kamiakin, the CBBN regular-season and district champions.

LC and Kamiakin met in the Crossover Classic quarterfinals, with the Tigers winning in three en route to the title.

“It was a battle up there, so we knew we were in for it down here,” Yearout said. “This was a good win, a good battle.”

Oceana Bush led the Tigers with 25 kills, but it was Rowand and senior setter Hilary Koenigs who stepped up their games down the stretch.

Rowand had eight kills in the fourth set alone, and Koenigs added four kills and two aces in the pivotal set.

Then tied at 9 in the fifth set, Koenigs and Rowand had back-to-back kills to give LC the lead for good. After Kamiakin saved one match point, Bush hit the ball off the block to kick off the celebration.

“We wanted to come out with more heart in that fourth set,” Rowand said. “When we’re down, it never seems like it. We’re just always composed.”

As for Mead, the five-time defending state champion showed the resilience that allowed it to rally from two sets down against Walla Walla in Friday’s regional opener, thrashing Eisenhower 25-12, 25-11, 25-12 in the winner-to-state match.

“It was difficult, but we stuck it out,” said junior Alexis Olgard, who had eight kills and four blocks in the final match.

The Panthers looked as if they would erase a 2-1 deficit in their semifinal match, blasting Kamiakin 25-14 in the fourth set. But the Braves used a 4-0 run to get some separation in the fifth set, then won on their fourth match point.

“We can’t come out like we did in the fifth set and expect to win,” said Olgard, who had 24 kills and eight blocks vs. Kamiakin.