LC outslugs Mead

Both Lewis and Clark coach Julie Yearout and her Mead counterpart, Judy Kight, had a common belief Saturday after the District 8 4A championship volleyball match.

They both agreed that the title match, won in a five-set marathon by the Tigers, was state-tournament quality. LC held off the Panthers 25-23, 16-25, 25-20, 18-25, 15-10 at Squinty Hunter Fieldhouse.

Yearout and Kight would know, with their teams having met for the state title two seasons running on Mead’s way to four straight championships.

LC (20-1) advances to the Eastern Regional next weekend, which will be held at two sites – Richland and Pasco high schools. Mead (22-4) came back to earn the second berth, eliminating Central Valley 27-25, 25-15, 25-23.

In first-round regional matches, Greater Spokane League No. 1 LC will face Columbia Basin Big Nine No. 5 seed Pasco and GSL No. 2 Mead will take on No. 3 Walla Walla. In the other matches, No. 1 Kamiakin will meet No. 6 Richland and No. 2 Southridge goes against No. 4 Eisenhower. The sites of the matches will be determined today.

In an earlier loser-out match Saturday, CV downed Gonzaga Prep 25-23, 25-21, 20-25, 26-14.

In the District 8 3A final, East Valley rebounded from an opening-set loss to top Mt. Spokane 22-25, 25-14, 25-21, 25-13.

In the match for third and fourth, Shadle Park swept North Central 25-15, 25-18, 25-19.

All four 3A teams advance to the Eastern Regional, next weekend at Mt. Spokane High School. First-round matches won’t be determined until Wednesday.

District 8 4A

The Tigers seemed to have things in hand up 2-1 going into the fourth set.

Tied at 10-all, LC took advantage of a serve receive error, a net violation and a net serve to build a 14-11 lead.

But the Panthers dug down, scoring six straight points. Six-foot-5 junior middle hitter Alexis Olgard had two tips, sophomore outside hitter Kuulei Zalopany had a kill and setter Emma Barrington had an ace during Mead’s run that swung the momentum. The Tigers got set point on a hit that struck the antenna.

Usually, the team that wins the fourth set benefits from some carryover momentum in the deciding set. The pattern held to form as Mead opened a 3-1 lead.

But LC went on a 9-2 run to pull within five points of securing the district title.

LC’s final three points came on one of senior outside hitter Oceana Bush’s thundering kills, a dink by senior setter Hilary Koenigs and a kill by senior middle Chloe Rowand.

“That was great volleyball. That was great preparation for state,” Yearout said. “Both teams will have to have less unforced errors (at state). But to be able to maintain that level game after game, point after point, and keep responding …. It’s tough to get momentum surges.”

Bush finished with a team-high 18 kills and 33 digs. Koenigs had 58 assists.

“Mead’s a great team and we’re a great team and it was like a showdown,” Bush said. “I congratulate (the Panthers). They gave us a really good match. It’s the toughest match we’ve had this year. Games like that, they just feel so good winning because you leave everything on the court.”

Olgard finished with a match-high 19 kills and five aces.

Kight had nothing but praise for her team.

“I’m very happy with how we played,” Kight said. “Anytime you go to five with a team like that … it’s championship volleyball. That’s state (level) play right there. I’m just thrilled that we’re at that level.”

District 8 3A

If EV coach Jim Dorr was concerned after the first-set loss, you couldn’t read it on his face.

Nor on the faces of his players. They bounced back in the final three games.

An ace from junior Rachel Duckett on set point clinched the second game, a kill from junior Allie Riggin secured the third game and another kill from Riggin on match point gave EV its first 3A district title.

Riggin finished with a match-high 15 kills, most of which came in the final two sets.

It was redemption for EV, which fell to the Wildcats in five in league.

Dorr knew his team, especially his seniors, would bounce back.

The Wildcats did a good job of using two blockers on Riggin in the league match. In the district final, it took her two games to get untracked.

“With our middles (Brie Schau and Amanda Hiebert), they had to play us a little more square and it opened up things for everybody,” Dorr said.