Mead beats LC, earns top seed
If the Mead volleyball team captures another state championship next week, it will happen because of the Panthers’ diversity.
With more than half a dozen players piling up key statistics, the Panthers captured their eighth 4A regional championship with a 25-16, 25-18, 25-18 win over defending state champ Lewis and Clark Saturday afternoon at Mead.
Moments after the Panthers were presented with the regional title trophy, Mead principal Ken Russell made a special presentation. He handed coach Judy Kight a plaque for her 500th career win. The victory pushed Kight’s 20-year record at Mead to 500-139.
Mead (28-2) and Lewis and Clark advance to state as the top two seeds. Richland and Southridge go as the third and fourth seeds, respectively.
Lewis and Clark knocked off Richland, the Columbia Basin Big Nine’s top seed, 25-16, 25-19, 18-25, 26-24 in the semifinals. In the other semifinal, Mead swept Southridge 25-17, 25-10, 25-12. Richland earned the third seed by sweeping Southridge 25-18, 25-16, 25-12.
State is Thursday and Friday at the Toyota Center in Kennewick. The No. 1-ranked Panthers will be seeking a sixth state title this decade.
Two of the keys to Mead’s win over LC involved serving. The Panthers had nine aces – led by three from Kaely Kight – while the Tigers had 13 serving errors that allowed Mead easy points.
Other than for a brief spurt at the beginning of the second set, Mead never trailed. Yet the ever-improving Tigers, who have rebuilt nicely after three key losses to graduation from a year ago, didn’t succumb easily despite their serving deficiencies.
“LC played tough. Heather’s done a great job with them,” Kight said of first-year LC coach Heather Jackson. “They’ve come a long way. They’re playing really well.”
Mead opened a 16-8 lead in the third set, allowing Kight another opportunity to play some of her younger players, including a pair of freshmen. And they responded, maintaining most of the cushion.
“I’ve played all of them most of the year to varying degrees,” Kight said.
It just makes an already deep team deeper. Senior 6-foot-5 middle hitter Alexis Olgard had 12 kills, 13 digs and four blocks, setters Danika Christen and Emma Barrington had 15 and 11 assists, respectively, Kuulei Zalopany had 10 digs and Mady Dahlstrom had nine digs and four kills.
Mercedes Montoya led LC with eight kills and teammate Celeste Crosby had 13 digs.
Dahlstrom said the Panthers didn’t know a win in the regional final would be Kight’s 500th.
“It was really exciting,” said Dahlstrom, who turned 17 years old Saturday. “We just lowered our mistakes today and really brought it. We weren’t going to let down and just pushed our hardest.”
Dahlstrom is looking forward to state. She was a reserve on the last of five consecutive state titles in 2007.
“We’re going in confident, but at the same time we know we have to play our best,” Dahlstrom said.
Jackson said there was an explanation for her team’s serving miscues.
“Going into the (regional) final, the girls were a bit mentally, emotionally and physically exhausted,” Jackson said. “We’re usually a solid serving team. That was uncharacteristic.”
Kight likes the level her team is at going to state.
“We’re thrilled with where we’re at,” Kight said. “We’re this close to playing our best volleyball. We want that in the last two days of the season.”
Jackson also is encouraged with her team’s recent play.
“I think the best is yet to come,” Jackson said. “The only thing I expect is for them to go out with the same enthusiasm and effort. It should produce some great results.”