Mead opens GSL volleyball season with sweep

The Greater Spokane League volleyball season opened Thursday night with a matchup of the teams that have won seven of the last eight State 4A titles.

Mead again proved its mettle.

Paige Montgomery, Maddy Underwood, Taylor Ellingsen and Hannah Zalopany combined for 32 kills as the Panthers pasted visiting Lewis and Clark 25-11, 25-17, 25-19.

Mead has won six of the last eight state titles, interrupted by Jackson last year and LC in 2008.

Also in the GSL openers, Sam Hill recorded 11 digs and two blocks in helping North Central to a 3-0 sweep of visiting Ferris. … Lindsey Stockton had 17 kills to help host Gonzaga Prep to a 25-19, 26-24, 27-25 sweep of University. Kayliegh Valley had 10 kills and four blocks for U-Hi. … Taylor Butters had 11 kills and three aces, and Tia Pau added 18 assists and three aces as Central Valley swept host Rogers 3-0.

• Anyssa Matheson had 11 kills and 12 digs, and Kayla McGlathery added six aces and five blocks as Coeur d’Alene held on for a 3-2 win at Lewiston in Inland Empire League 5A play. The Vikings forced a fifth game with a 25-14 fourth-game win, then took the clincher 16-14.

• Mackenzie Jones piled up 38 assists and 22 digs as Sandpoint rallied from a 2-0 deficit to defeat visiting Lakeland 3-2 in the IEL 4A. The Bulldogs’ Alex Bucholtz added 16 kills.

• Jenny Nakata finished with 12 kills and nine digs, and Camille Davis added 34 assists and three aces as visiting Pullman held off East Valley 25-23, 26-24, 25-18 in the Great Northern League. … Also in the GNL, Kimmie Brazington had 21 digs, Alicia Perez had eight kills, and the two had three blocks apiece to guide Deer Park to a 3-0 win at Medical Lake. Olivia Hagel led the Cardinals with nine assists and five aces. … KC McConnell had 18 kills and Jamie Weisner added 19 digs as Clarkston beat visiting West Valley 3-1. Aaliyah Ashley-Meek led the Eagles with 40 assists and four aces.

• Beth Bykirk had eight kills and two blocks as Priest River swept visiting Bonners Ferry 3-0 in the Intermountain League. Mattea Bertling led the Badgers with six kills and four digs. … Also in the IML, Marlee Masterson totaled eight kills, eight digs and two blocks, and Lakin Anxo added seven kills to guide St. Maries to a 3-0 sweep over visiting Kellogg.

Girls soccer

Laura DeWald totaled two goals and one assist while leading Pullman (4-0, 2-0) to a 2-1 win at East Valley (2-3, 1-1) in the Great Northern League. Bre Daugherty added one goal and one assist for Pullman. … Nikole Ball had every goal for Deer Park (2-2, 1-2) in a 3-1 win at Medical Lake (0-3, 0-2). Alison Ruygrok set up two goals. … Morgan Williams, with two goals, and Courtney Hossfeld teamed up for every score as West Valley (2-0, 2-0) posted a 3-0 win at Clarkston.