Titans wrap up perfect GSL season

Pre-game distractions and the spoiler’s mentality of visiting Lewis and Clark set league-leading University’s volleyball players on their heels in the opening game of their regular season-ending Greater Spokane League volleyball match.

But once the Titans got rolling, there was no keeping them from their date with destiny.

U-Hi rallied from a 25-23 first-game loss for successive 25-17, 25-18, 25-15 victories and its first league championship. The title march was done in style, by finishing undefeated (13-0) and alone in first place.

“I’m kind of speechless,” said Titans coach Amanda Velasquez, who in the last two seasons had seen her team finish third with two losses and second with one.

“It was one of our goals, especially for the seniors,” said Velasquez. “We knew it was a high expectation and didn’t know if we could meet that, but it was one of the things we wanted to do.”

Do so they did, led, as they have been all season, by the power hitting of senior third-year starters Mandy Daniels and Daidre Mendenhall. Both were, as usual, the beneficiaries of setting by junior third-year starter Kara Crisp.

But the title, said Velasquez, was a tribute all six seniors on this year’s team, who were recognized, along with their parents, in traditional ceremonies that accompany a team’s final league home match.

“I couldn’t ask for a better group of girls,” said Velasquez. “They’ve been leaders since they stepped on the court.”

The match against LC (10-3) was the fourth time in 13 GSL contests that the Titans were taken beyond three games in the best-of-5 format.

But with Crisp recording a season-high 46 assists, Daniels recording a double-double 20-kill, 20-dig night, and Mendenhall contributing 15 kills, six blocks and four service aces, the Titans wouldn’t be denied.

Three times in the first game they clawed back from four-point deficits, the last at 20-16 to lead 21-20. Mendenhall had two kills and a stuff block during the rally.

But continuing back-row woes in that first game and powerful hitting by Ivy Bush rallied LC to the win.

“It took them a little bit to get warmed up,” said Velasquez. “The front row did a great job, but the back row just needed to pick it up.”

Mendenhall fueled a 6-0 start in the second game. Bush and Hannah Zimmerman rallied the Tigers to within 19-15, but Mendenhall’s two service aces helped U-Hi pull away.

A six-point run, fueled by outside hitter Daniels, rallied U-Hi from a 4-2 deficit in the third game. Mendenhall put down the final two points to end that contest.

In the match decider, the Titans ran off seven points, six on errors by the Tigers, to break a 6-all tie and never looked back. Two services aces by Kristina Kielbon stemmed an LC rally and middle blocker Mendenhall got the match-point kill.

The title, said Daniels, “is very remarkable and so exciting. Once we beat Mead, we knew our chances were higher.”

Daniels said that the emotions of senior night and knowing they had clinched top seed to next week’s district tournament contributed to the slow start.

With Mead players in attendance hoping for a title tie, and the raucous support of a loyal fan base, U-Hi turned around the match.

“After the first game we decided we really need to pick it up,” said Daniels, “because we weren’t going to let it (the undisputed championship) go. Now we need to have hard practices because we’re probably going to see Mead and LC again in district.”

The Titans and Mead (12-1) earned byes in next week’s District 8 playoffs, which run Thursday through Oct. 23 and qualify four teams to regionals. They will host the winners of first-round matches on Friday.

Gonzaga Prep (10-3), as third seed into the tournament, will host either Mt. Spokane (8-5) or Shadle Park (8-5) on Thursday. The pair tied for sixth place and will play at tiebreaker on Tuesday. Fourth-seeded LC will entertain No. 5 Ferris (9-4).

In other final matches, Megan Thigpen had 14 kills to lead Mead to a 25-15, 25-9, 25-19 win at Shadle. … Visiting G-Prep swept Mt. Spokane 25-20, 25-12, 25-10. Kelly Mastor was dominant up front for Prep, controlling the net and the match. She had 11 kills and Haley Topliff added 15 digs. … East Valley (3-10) earned the second seed to the Oct. 23 District 3A tourney in Cheney by beating West Valley (3-10). WV won the first 25-23, but the home-standing Knights rallied for wins of 25-18, 25-14, 25-14, including nine consecutive points in the final game. Angie Smith had 19 kills in 30 attempts and Stephanie Bellefeuille had 38 assists for EV. … North Central (6-7), 3A top seed, rallied from two games down to beat host Central Valley (5-8) 23-25, 23-25, 25-17, 25-15, 15-6. Shantel Haugen had 29 assists for NC, and Alaina Smith and Whitney Buck shared the kills lead with nine each. CV’s Ashlee Lupfer had 17 kills and Lindsey Tomlinson had 22 digs. … Rogers (2-11) swept visiting Clarkston (1-12) 25-23, 25-9, 25-21. Brittani Scott recorded 10 kills and had four blocks for Rogers, and Courtney Robinette had 22 assists.

•Lakeside (6-2) handed visiting Colville its first loss of the Great Northern League season, winning at Nine Mile Falls 25-14, 25-14, 23-25, 25-18. Colville (7-1) remained in sole possession of first place, a match ahead of the Eagles. Kelli Tikker had 18 kills and 25 assists to lead Lakeside. Lindsay Jelke led the Eagles with 41 assists. Nikki Bardwell was high for Colville with 14 kills and three blocks.

Girls soccer

Riverside remained unbeaten in the GNL by scoring a 2-0 victory at Medical Lake. The Rams (8-0) received two goals from Dani Rose Hansen and stellar goalkeeping from Dianne Kasinger. … Jochelle Schatz scored a pair of goals, each off an assist from Jennifer Leick, to lift Chewelah (3-5) to a 2-1 win at Deer Park (0-8).