Sandpoint clinches state bid
SANDPOINT – Perhaps it wasn’t razor-sharp precision. But the Sandpoint High volleyball team didn’t need to be perfect Saturday afternoon.
The versatile Bulldogs, playing at times as if it were a practice scrimmage instead of the 4A Region I championship, had no difficulties disposing of Lakeland 25-19, 25-15, 25-15.
Sandpoint (18-5) will return to state for the first time in two years. The Bulldogs will open against Century of Pocatello when the two-day tourney is held at Kimberly High School beginning Friday.
Region I received just one state berth. That means Lakeland (5-20) and Moscow (9-14) saw their seasons end.
Lakeland eliminated Moscow in an opening loser-out match, sweeping the defending state champions 25-21, 25-20, 28-26.
In the title match, Sandpoint spread the offensive wealth, especially in the opening game as five Bulldogs recorded kills.
Sandpoint opened an 18-10 lead, but Lakeland rebounded briefly, pulling within 18-14. But four straight points allowed the Bulldogs to build a cushion Lakeland couldn’t overcome.
In the second and third games, the Bulldogs never gave the Hawks any hope. In the middle game, Lakeland pulled within a point at 12-11 only to watch Sandpoint go on a 10-1 run.
Sandpoint made quick work of Lakeland in the third, doubling up its lead at 18-9. Kaitlyn Lunde, one of three freshmen who see significant minutes, had two aces in the final stretch as Sandpoint cemented its first trip to state under second-year coach Karen Alsager.
Leading the diversity were senior outside hitter Lydia Tollbom and freshman outside hitter Piper Wahlin. Tollbom had a team-high nine kills and Wahlin chipped in eight. The 6-foot-1 Tollbom also had a team-high four blocks.
Just as effective, though, was the defense led by back-row specialists Abby Helander and Lori Jensen. Helander, a sophomore, and Jensen, a senior, each had 18 digs.
“I was a little nervous at the beginning of the year putting three (defensive specialists) on the team,” Alsager. “But having those three on the court constantly for us is huge.”
After her team suffered four losses in the first eight matches, Alsager had a heart-to-heart chat with her players. She challenged them to play with passion, and the Bulldogs responded. They’ve won 14 of their last 15.
In the regional final, it seemed when Sandpoint needed a big kill Tollbom or Wahlin stepped up. Tollbom said her ability to get kills is based a lot on her team’s versatility.
“Nobody can stop us because anyone can put the ball away,” Tollbom said.
“It’s tough to defend against us. We were lacking a little bit of passion at times, but Coach told us to step it up and we did. She told us we were slacking off, but we got excited and it worked.”
Lakeland senior outside hitter Marissa Duncan had 20 kills in two matches, eight against Sandpoint.
The Hawks went 0-12 in league play, but they certainly didn’t play like a team that had struggled this season. For that reason, Lakeland coach Claudia Ebel was especially pleased.
“We have progressed considerably from the beginning of the year to the end of the year,” Ebel said. “Our seniors did a great job working with our younger kids. We’re split about 50-50 between seniors and the younger kids who played.”