A week of confrontations with upper-classification foes began well for Elma’s unbeaten volleyball team. Elma has had continued success in the past week.
Quin Mikel contributed nine kills, six aces and 10 digs as the Eagles completed a season sweep of Aberdeen, 25-18, 25-22, 25-13, in a non-league match Sept. 18 at Elma.
Monday’s match was the first of three this week against Class 2A foes for the Eagles (4-0). They host Black Hills on Tuesday and visit Chehalis two nights later. Results of those matches were not available when The Vidette went to press.
“It will be good,” Elma coach Kendra Henry said of the scheduling. “It will be exciting to see how they’ll do.”
By Henry’s admission, the Eagles were not in top form for the better part of two sets on Monday. They struggled with serving and serve-receive in particular.
“We overlooked Aberdeen a little bit,” the Elma coach acknowledged. “They played much better than the last meeting. We came out a little flat but picked it up in the third (set).”
But major serving difficulties prevented the Bobcats (0-4) from capitalizing on Elma’s slow start.
The Bobcats missed 11 serves — an identical total to that in last week’s loss to Hoquiam. Six of those came in the second set, almost certainly costing them a set in which they once led 12-8.
“Obviously, it’s hard to get into rhythm when you’re making those mistakes,” a frustrated AHS coach Doug Basler commented. “We didn’t take advantage of multiple opportunities in the first two games.”
Sophomore reserve Bailey Crisp served five straight points in the second set to put Elma on top to stay at 14-12.
Down 21-15 at one stage, Aberdeen rallied and saved two set points on kills by Hailee Baretich and Holly Bergeson. But the Eagles converted the third on Kenna Stoney’s winning tip.
Mikel opened the third set with three consecutive aces on a 6-0 run that also included a Maddi Clark kill. The Bobcats never caught up. Clark closed out the match with a five-point service spree.
A much greater threat at the net than most setters, senior floor leader Stoney frequently found the mark on tips and dumps (a play in which she fakes a set before pushing the ball into the open court). Six-foot-one sophomore Jalyn Sackrider had eight kills for the Eagles.
Basler cited the play of Malynda Winston and setter Jalyn McDaniel. The latter collected 11 assists.
Aberdeen took the JV match, 25-13, 25-19.
The Bobcats are idle for a week before opening Evergreen 2A Conference play at home against Black Hills on Sept. 26.
Eagles win in three
Well-balanced Elma remained unbeaten by beating Cascade Christian in a non-league match Sept. 14 at Elma.
Ana Perez served four aces and brought up 12 digs for the Eagles (3-0). Jalyn Sackrider led Elma hitters with eight, but Kali Rambo, Stoney and Mikel added six kills apiece.
Setter Stoney also had 22 assists. Rambo served three aces and Mikel collected 10 digs.
Henry said she was proud of the way her team overcame adversity in the hard-fought match.
The Eagles rallied for a 16-25, 25-21, 15-10 junior varsity win.
Eagles defeat White Pass
Seizing the momentum in the second set, Elma rolled past Morton-White Pass, 20-25, 25-12, 25-14, 25-12, in a non-league season opener Sept. 14 at Elma.
Mikel served seven aces and delivered eight kills for the Eagles. Rambo also had eight kills, while Stoney contributed six aces, five kills and 33 assists. Jalyn Sackrider chipped in five kills.
“We played really strong all the way around,” Henry said. “I was very proud of how they played for a first match.”
Morton-White Pass, she added, lost its setter to injury in the first set.
The Timberwolves took the JV match, 25-21, 26-24, but Elma won the C Squad contest, 25-16, 25-13.
