Sequim got some solid serving in one match and struggled in the other — but managed to win both anyway in a sweep of Olympic League foes last week.
The Wolves (7-2 in league, 7-3 overall) topped Kingston in three games (25-22, 25-11, 25-20) on Oct. 8, behind a big game from hitter Arianna Stovall. She served 12-for-13 with a pair of aces and earned five kills and a season-high seven stuff blocks. She added seven digs.
SHS coach Jennie Webber Heilman said her team was feeling a bit of a let-down after playing four tough teams in a tournament weekend prior. (The Wolves beat Stadium, split with Tumwater and Yelm, and lost to a powerful Capital team — all programs in the bigger 3A or 4A classifications — Webber Heilman noted.)
“Our blocking was better tonight,” she said following the Kingston match, surmising the strong net play was sharpened by playing tough schools over the weekend.
Sydney Clark served 10-for-12 and five aces, four digs and five digs. Rose Gibson served 13-for-15 with seven kills and three aces. Setter Kenzie Berglund served 6-for-8 with four kills, six digs and 18 assists, while Brianna Palenik served 8-for-9. Ashton Reichner also served 6-for-6.
Road win
The Wolves opened hot in its first game, weathered a downturn in its second, but played well enough to pick up a win over North Mason 25-16, 12-25, 25-19, 25-21 on Oct. 10.
“It was an odd game; we played well in the first game, but fell completely flat in the second,” Webber Heilman said. “When things went wrong, they went wrong in bunches. Our serving was only 81 percent, but you look at our hitting stats and we were getting kills and hitting good balls.”
Stovall served 11-for-13 with three aces, a game-high 12 kills, two stuff blocks and 10 digs. Gibson had three aces, 11 kills, a stuff block and eight digs.
Palenik served 9-of-10 with 8 kills, while Clark added an ace, two kills, three assists and two digs. Berglund served 10-of-12 with two aces, a kill, 23 assists and six digs.
Sequim was scheduled to take on No. 8-ranked Bainbridge on the road on Oct. 15; results were unavailable at press time.
Coming up
Sequim hosts Olympic on Oct. 17 and play at Port Angeles on Oct. 22 before finishing the regular season at home against Bremerton on Oct. 29.
The West Central District 2A tourney is set for Nov. 8-9 in Fife.
The top four teams advance to the class 2A state tournament, scheduled for Nov. 15-16 in Yakima.
Sequim Gazette photo by Michael Dashiell / Sequim teammates celebrate a match-clinching point from Kassi Montero (14) as the Wolves sweep Kingston at home on Oct. 8.
Sequim Gazette photo by Michael Dashiell / Sequim setter Kenzi Berglund keeps here eye on the ball in the third set of the Wolves’ 3-0 win over Kingston on Oct 8.
Sequim Gazette photo by Michael Dashiell / Sequim’s Sydney Clark digs a ball as teammates Tiffany Lam, left, and Rose Gibson look on in the Wolves’ 3-0 sweep of Kingston on Oct. 8.
