Mt. Spokane beats odds, advances to district

This is becoming old hat for the Mt. Spokane volleyball program, which, for the second straight year, caught lightning in a bottle.

Trailing two games to none, the Wildcats (9-4) staged an improbable rally to defeat Central Valley 24-26, 21-25, 25-22, 26-24, 15-4 and a berth in next week’s District 8 4A playoffs.

It was the second straight year that Mt. Spokane, with an uncertain playoff future, won an imperative five-match decision. This one, however, defied all odds.

CV (7-6) was at match point, with a six-point cushion in the fourth game, when its best season in 15 years came to a stunning and crushing end.

Third-year varsity senior Janie Rasmussen was perfect when any serving mistake would have given CV the match. She was 7 for 7 to end the fourth game and served four straight to begin the decisive fifth game, leading the Wildcats on a 16-1 tear.

When a big play at the net had to be made, fellow senior Lauren Schneidmiller made it. She had six spikes in the fourth game, including the final two points, and three more in the fifth game with Mt. Spokane roaring to a 10-1 lead over the deflated Bears.

Mt. Spokane’s win eliminated the possibility of a four-way tie for fourth place in the GSL. Mt. Spokane earned it outright and a home match when District 8 begins Thursday.

Third-place Shadle Park (9-3 going into tonight’s season ender against Cheney) will host as well. Gonzaga Prep and University (both 8-5) are the fifth- and sixth-place entrants.

League champion Mead (13-0) and second-place Lewis and Clark (12-1) play at home next Friday on the second day of the double-elimination tourney.

CV, seeking its first playoff in eight years and already assured its first winning season since 1990, played as if it had been there often.

The Bears rallied from a 15-11 deficit in the first game and, trailing at match point, got a kill by Kristin Telin to start a three-point run.

Behind or tied for much of the second game, Telin, a junior, and sophomore Allison Giusti broke a 17-all deadlock with their play, both serving and hitting. CV went up 21-17 and held.

Even in the third game, when Mt. Spokane built an 18-10 lead, the Bears got to within 23-21.

In the fourth game, Telin had five kills and a stuff block to spark CV to a 24-18 lead.

Then Mt. Spokane coach John Reid challenged his seniors, and they found a spark in Rasmussen.

“The thing was, it was in the seniors’ hands,” Reid said.

At no point in the night, before Rasmussen’s 11-point string, had either team run off more than four straight service points.

“Whoever would have thought Janie would have gone back and served like she did?” said Reid. “But she’s a third-year senior, and in who else’s hands would you want the ball?”

Rasmussen admitted there was a little pressure to perform.

“I was a little nervous, but was just focusing on getting it in,” she said.

Schneidmiller, who plays with a brace on each of her injured legs, had a huge hand in the attack with 18 kills.

Schneidmiller was seemingly the go-to hitter whenever big points were needed.

“I’m sure we were all a little worried about what was going to happen, but we all played through it,” she said. “We just finally got a lot of energy and came out strong.”

“In other matches, Mead wrapped up an undefeated season at home. The Panthers cooled off North Central (6-7), which hosts the District 3A playoffs on Oct. 29, 25-10, 25-13, 25-14. … Lewis and Clark swept University at home. Ivy Bush had 13 kills and Janae Forney added 12 and had eight blocks in the 25-20, 25-17, 25-21 triumph at Hunter Fieldhouse. … East Valley (4-9) won on the road to claim second seed in the District 3A playoffs by beating West Valley (3-10) in four games. Stephanie Bellefeuille had 27 assists, 15 digs and three service aces for the winners. … Gonzaga Prep won at Rogers (1-12) 24-26, 25-10, 25-20, 25-17. Liz Hardan had 23 assists and 12 kills for the winners. … Ferris (7-6) swept Clarkston (2-11) at home, 25-16, 25-14, 25-22. Kara Caparoso, one of just two Saxons seniors, had 15 assists and shared the kills lead with Maddy Lorenz.