NC bounces back to win District 8 3A tournament

North Central’s volleyball team was staring in the face of a 2-0 deficit during the District 8 3A tournament Thursday night at Cheney.

The Indians had lost to East Valley in the first game and were at game point, down 24-22, in the second game.

So were they worried?

“Honestly, no,” said Indians coach Mary O. Goebel. “I was not worried at all. I have a lot of confidence in the girls and know what they’re capable of.”

It was a sentiment echoed by several of her players after they got untracked for a 21-15, 32-30, 25-12, 25-17 victory that gave NC top seed into next week’s regionals in Cheney.

But it took Anna Walters and Jessica Susemiehl to provide the spark enabling the team to continue its season.

Walters, typically a starter, sat out the first game. Susemiehl, who said she seldom plays, joined her in game two on the receiving end of Shantel Haugen’s solid setting.

Both had clutch kills with power hitting that was absent in the first game, when the Knights scored the final five points to rally on a night of back-and-forth tournament matches.

“I haven’t been playing my best in practices,” said Walters, explaining why she sat out the opening game. “It got me to thinking.”

“I usually sit the bench,” Susemiehl said. “I don’t know why I played. But I’m really excited.”

Once the two got NC going, nothing could stop players like Alaina Smith and Whitney Buck, who ended up with 11 kills each, or Kendall Mays, whose serving rallied the team from as many as seven points behind in the pivotal second game.

Mays had five consecutive points, three of them aces, to cut the margin to one. EV went back up 20-14. Walters had four kills and served the game’s final two points. Susemiehl added two more kills on a night in which Haugen would record 41 assists.

After the emotional game it was all NC. Walters complemented Smith and Buck with five more kills, and Susemiehl serving out the final four points in the third game and added five more service points in the final game.

“We just needed to control the game and didn’t,” said Goebel of NC’s slow start and resultant first-game loss. “East Valley came out strong and ready to play. The girls realized it was going to be a battle and got in a rhythm.”

Also during the night, West Valley defeated Cheney 25-16, 25-22 and 25-21, and followed by defeating EV in a draining marathon, 24-26, 25-23, 25-21, 21-25, 15-11 for the No. 2 regional berth next weekend.

WV libero Jessica Gudgel and her teammates were everywhere in the back row, digging up hits and neutralizing EV’s power in a match short on esthetics, but long on drama. WV’s Melody Dossey had a total of 30 kills during the night.

It will be WV’s and Gudgel’s third consecutive regional 3A appearance. EV is the league’s third regional qualifier, joining three teams from the Mid-Valley League for two berths to state.

Angie Smith finished with 24 kills and 10 digs for East Valley. Rachel Bonertz added 21 kills, nine digs and five blocks.

District 8 4A

The favorites advanced in consecutive sets as No. 3 Gonzaga Prep defeated No. 6 Mt. Spokane 25-19, 25-16, 25-20, and fourth-seeded Lewis and Clark beat No. 5 Ferris 25-17, 25-15, 25-23 on the first night of the district tournament. G-Prep will play at No. 2 Mead, and LC will travel to No. 1 University at 7 tonight. Mt. Spokane and Ferris also advance to Saturday’s tourney conclusion at Mt. Spokane. Kerry Mastor had 10 kills to lead Gonzaga Prep and Emily Wittkopf had 13 for Mt. Spokane. Ivy Bush had eight kills and seven digs for Lewis and Clark in its victory over the Saxons. Chelsea Gese had 10 kills and Miranda Gouin 26 assists for Ferris.

Great Northern League

Colville (8-1) remained in first place with its 25-10, 25-21, 25-14 sweep at Medical Lake (2-8). Nikki Bardwell had 14 kills and five service aces to lead Colville. In the night’s other league match, Lakeside (8-3) neared the end of its regular season with a 25-11, 25-17, 25-13 sweep of visiting Deer Park (0-10) at Nine Mile Falls. Kia Gibson had nine kills, four blocks and served the last seven points of the match.