Club play together pays off for Titans volleyball team
As she always does, University volleyball coach Amanda Velasquez approached things cautiously.
The Titans, on Tuesday, had just beaten Mead for the school’s biggest win ever and after acknowledging the fact, she noted, “We still have quite a few games left and you never know what’s going to happen. We’ve got to stay focused.”
Fact is, that after defeating Mt. Spokane 25-11, 25-20, 25-10 on Thursday, U-Hi likely has one obstacle remaining, a home match in its season final at home against Lewis and Clark, to its first Greater Spokane League championship.
The team is 9-0 with four matches remaining. Three are against 3A schools Clarkston, West Valley and Cheney, with a combined five wins among them.
Then comes the Oct. 14 season-ender against the Tigers (8-1), currently tied with Mead for second place.
Beating Mead was the latest milestone for the Titans.
“The girls did a phenomenal job of blocking and shutting-down their hitters,” said Velasquez. “When they did get through the blocks, the majority of the time we dug the balls up.”
The morning prior to the match U-Hi star Mandy Daniels said — and her dad, Tim, reiterated that night — how important it has been to their success this year that the Titans played together as a team, rather than going their separate ways, during club volleyball last winter and spring.
“The big thing is,” Tim Daniels said, “Kara (Crisp), Daidre (Mendenhall) and Mandy, instead of going to big clubs where they could show their talents, stayed together. They got beat up at some tournaments, though they won the Evergreen Region, but showed they could hold their own with anybody.”
Explained Mandy, who had 29 kills in the front row and 40 digs from the back during the week, “We got to work on plays, learn people’s tendencies and about trusting one another.”
Continuing the theme, middle blocker Mendenhall, part of U-Hi’s dominance at the net this year, said, “It’s a team thing. Our front row is phenomenal, but we couldn’t do it without the passers and, of course, (setter) Kara.”
It has paid off , so far, in the best volleyball season in University history.
Soccer looms large
East Valley’s 2-1 win over North Central last Friday was the first step in its 3A soccer playoff journey, but a major one.
Next Friday, the Knights (2-4) are at West Valley (1-5), two days after the Eagles host Cheney in other 3A contests, West Valley, as the Valley teams try to position themselves for a regional tournament.
With five 3A schools in the GSL, this year three will advance to an eight-team regional with the Mid-Valley. Top two GSL seeds are automatically in double-elimination for two available state berths.
The Knights (2-4) still have Clarkston and Cheney left to play among its remaining seven matches. Both the Indians and Blackhawks are a game ahead of EV in the standings.
Goals by Rachel Shaw and Cheney transfer Katlyn Laughlin, who also had an assist, lifted EV over NC. On Wednesday, EV lost 2-0 to Gonzaga Prep, tied for third in the GSL.
EV plays Central Valley on Wednesday, a match important to both. The Bears (4-2) are vying for a top-six finish among 4A schools and spot in the district playoffs. CV lost 3-0 to Mt. Spokane.
University hosts Mt. Spokane (both 5-1) next Wednesday in an important positional contest. The Titans beat Clarkston.
WV Invite today
West Valley hosts its annual cross country invitational at Plantes Ferry Park today, and other teams will be in the SunFair Invitational in Yakima before taking a week off from GSL competition.
At the break, East Valley (4-3) is sixth in league, University and Central Valley are both 3-5 and West Valley is 2-5 among boys teams. University’s girls are 4-4, followed by Central Valley (3-5), East Valley (2-5) and West Valley (1-6).
During meets Wednesday, Knights Nick Atwood and Jo E. Mayer were individual race winners.
WV’s Curtis Fitzhugh was fifth, the Eagle boys splitting with Mead and Clarkston. Larsen Agee finished third among girls.
Matt Engle placed fourth, Karen Owens fifth and Leslie Berkseth sixth University losing to Lewis and Clark, but beating Cheney and Rogers in both boys and girls races.
Central Valley’s Sean Coyle was eighth in the boys race and Katee Nauert seventh among girls, the Bears losing to Mt. Spokane, Shadle and North Central.
Final week at Painted Hills
September is over and this year’s Painted Hills Ladies League ended with it.
Carol Blume finished with a flourish, shooting 43 in A Flight. Other low gross winners were Marion Pillsbury with 52 in B, Mary Jo Kraut with 55 in C, and Linda Shupe with 62 in D.
Net winners were Debbie Paullin with 30 in A flight, Caryl Marker with 33 in B, Nancy Wendelburg with 34 in C, and Nancy Hobbs with 43 in D.
Sue Matsui had two chip-ins, Lois Ledbetter, Dorothy Rausch, Dee Clott and Joan Fields had one each.
Trailhead Ladies compete
During weekly Trailhead Ladies competition, Joyce Jacobs shot low gross 46 in A flight.
Bev Johnson had 57 in B, Marilyn Mackie, with a chip-in on the fifth hole, shot 57 in C, and Edith Rains had a no-handicap 66.
Net winners were Dee Elder with 32 in A flight, Joy Russell with 39 in B and Pat Woollett with 24 in C.
Strauss again at Liberty Lake
Karen Strauss continued her first flight dominance among Liberty Lake Women’s 9-Hole Club golfers.
She shot 46 while Peg Phillips netted 37.
Deanna Hauser shot 59 in second flight, and Mary Ann Barham netted 40 in second flight. Eveline Edwards shot 68, and Linda Barry 42 in third flight.
Arla Beck birdied No. 3 and Pat Thompson had a chip-in on No. 6.