Volleyball: Sequim puts up fight in loss to Spartans

Sequim’s volleyball crew had a tall order — quite literally — in taking on visiting Bainbridge to close last week, dropping a three-set match to the Spartans (25-11, 25-17, 25-18) on Sept. 19.

The Spartans, featuring two outside hitters of 6-foot-2 or taller, broke an 8-8 tie in the first set to take control.

Sequim (2-1 in Olympic League play, 2-2 overall) managed to close the gap in the next two sets.

Sequim Gazette photo by Michael Dashiell Sequim’s Kenzi Berglund, left, and Arianna Stovall look to block Bainbridge’s Elsa Wetzler in an Olympic League match in Sequim on Sept. 19.

“They were impressed with our scrapiness,” Sequim coach Jennie Webber Heilman said.

“We were doing well on our serves [initially] but started missing serves in the second and third games.”

Brianna Palenik paced the Wolves with 11-for-11 serving. Arianna Stovall was 4-for-4 with three aces.

Webber Heilman said she was impresses with Rose Gibson’s “scrappy” defense against Bainbridge (4-1); she had 11 digs.

Sequim Gazette photo by Michael Dashiell / Sequim’s Brianna Palenik, center, looks to hit past Bainbridge blockers Carmen MacCulloch (13) and Rollins Anderson in an Olympic League match in Sequim on Sept. 19.

“[Libero] Tiffany [Lam] was really busy, too,” Webber Heilman noted. Lam finished with 15 digs to lead the team.

Yzzy Montero, a substitute in the third set, earned a team-high four kills.

The Wolves’ serving through four games has been solid, the SHS coach noted.

“Hopefully with our serving, it’ll improve our passing[in practices],” Webber Heilman said.

“We need to work on our offense,” she added.

Big win in Belfair

Sequim opened the week with a four-set win over previously unbeaten North Mason in Belfair on Sept. 17.

Sequim Gazette photo by Michael Dashiell / Sequim players celebrate after getting a point in a Sept. 19 home match against Bainbridge in Set. 19.

“I was able to play everyone; they had a couple of pretty decent hitters and their setter was running around all over the place,” Sequim coach Webber Heilman said.

The Wolves served 87% — below Webber-Heilman’s goal of 90% — but did rack up 18 aces.

Kenzi Berglund was huge for the Wolves, serving a perfect 25-for-25 with seven aces. She also had 21 assists and 12 digs. Gibson served 17-for-18 with six aces, nine digs and four kills.

Sequim Gazette photo by Michael Dashiell / Sequim’s Kenzi Berglund (23) looks to set teammate Brianna Palenik (background) in a Sept. 19 home match against Bainbridge on Sept. 19.

Kassi Montero served 9-for-11 with a pair of aces. She added nine digs and five kills, while Stovall served 9-for-12 with an ace and had seven kills and two blocks. Lam added 15 digs and Palenik had five kills.

Sequim was scheduled to play at Olympic on Sept. 24; results were not avavailable at press time.

Looking ahead

Sequim hosts rival Port Angeles on Sept. 26 and league powerhouse North Kitsap on Oct. 1 before traveling to Bremerton on Oct. 3.

The Wolves take on Kingston on Oct. 8 and North Mason on Oct. 10, both league matches at home.

Sequim Gazette photo by Michael Dashiell / Sequim coach Jennie Webber Hielman (background) talks with players during a first set timeout as the Wolves take on Bainbridge on Sept. 19.

Sequim Gazette photo by Michael Dashiell / Sequim’s Kenzi Berglund awaits a Bainbridge serve as the Wolves take on the visiting Spartans on Sept. 19.

Sequim Gazette photo by Michael Dashiell / Sequim coaches celebrate a key point in the third set of a league match against Bainbridge on Sept. 19.

Sequim Gazette photo by Michael Dashiell / Sequim’s Yzzy Montero is all smiles after some hard play in the third set of an Olympic League match against Bainbridge on Sept. 19.

Sequim Gazette photo by Michael Dashiell / Sequim players rally after losing a point to Bainbridge in the third set of a Sept. 19 Olympic League match. Pictured, from left, are Rose Gibson, Kenzi Berglund, Kassi Montero, Sophia Greenleaf and Tiffany Lam.