BELFAIR — The Sequim volleyball team came close again to qualifying for the state 2A tournament, but the Wolves’ season came to a frustrating and heartbreaking end with a 3-1 loss to Orting in the District 3 tournament.
Sequim got to the winner-to-state match by beating Kingston 3-0 (25-21, 25-19, 25-13).
Rose Gibson led the team by serving 9-for-9 with an ace, with a season-high six stuff blocks and seven kills. Kassi Montero served 15-for-15 with three aces. Kenzie Berglund served 24-for-24 with eight aces and a 12-point run. She also had 18 assists. Madi Salazar served 9-for-9.
That set up the Wolves to play Orting in the winner-to-state match.
Sequim got off to a rough start, losing the first two games 25-22 and 25-16, but the Wolves fought back to win Game 3 25-23 and were tied 23-23 in Game 4. Orting got the final two points to win the game and match, moving on to state.
Coach Jennie Webber-Heilman said the team was frustrated with some non-calls on Orting’s hits that Sequim believed were illegal.
“We were on a roll [after Game 3],” Webber-Heilman said. “This is the hardest-working team I’ve had in a long time. They play harder in practice than they do in matches. It would’ve been nice if they could’ve made it to state.”
Gibson finished the match serving 15-for-16 with nine digs and 12 digs. Montero served 14-for-15 and had five kills. Berglund served 18-for-19 with three aces, 27 assists, 16 digs and seven kills. Brianna Palenik had nine kills.
Earlier in the district playoffs, Sequim lost 3-0 to North Kitsap.
The good news for Sequim is that the Wolves return six players next year to make another run. The Wolves this year finished with a 13-6 record, a second-place finish in the Olympic League and a win over North Kitsap.
Port Angeles also had its best season since 2022, winning a district match 3-2 over Steilacoom, then losing 3-0 to Washington and 3-0 to Fife. The Roughriders finished fifth in the Olympic League and ended the season 6-13.
