SEQUIM — Sequim and Port Angeles battled back and forth in a rivalry volleyball match Thursday, with the Wolves coming out on top 3-1 (23-25, 25-21, 26-24, 25-12).
Wolves coach Jennie Webber Heilman said her squad went back to the fundamentals in the middle of the match.
“In the fourth game we were able to run a quicker offense, we got settled in a little bit better,” she said.
Kendall Hastings was the offensive player of the match for Sequim with 16 kills, five stuff blocks and 14 digs.
Jordan Hegtvedt was the Wolves’ defensive leader, but also contributed offensively.
“She had a kill out of the back row as she is our libero for the time being,” Webber Heilman said.
“She served 12 for 12 with an ace, two perfect passes and 24 digs. She was our defensive leader.”
Allie Gale, Sequim’s lone setter, had 38 assists to go along with seven digs and an 18 of 19 serving performance with three aces.
Jolene Vaara also contributed offensively.
“Jolene Vaara she had 10 kills and only had two hitting errors which is nice,” Webber-Heilman said. “A good hitting percentage. And she served 15 of 17 with two aces and also added 10 digs. Vaara had four perfect passes which is good she was leading serve receive from the middle, not a normal spot to do that.”
Jordan Kidd was 9 for 9 on serve with seven digs, while Kelsi Bergeson added three kills and seven digs.
It was the season opener for the Roughriders and coach Jennifer Reynolds enjoyed how her team performed.
“We had our jamboree last week and we saw where we are at and what we needed to work on,” Reynolds said. “We practiced rotations, positions, and yesterday they came out and executed it and it was amazing.
“It was the best defense from the whole team that I have seen in a long time. They were playing to the whistle and it was great.”
Kennedy Bruch had 11 kills, 18 digs and four aces on 100 percent serving at outside hitter for the Riders.
Libero Cindy Liang contributed 21 digs and a service ace while Josephine Edgington posted five digs, four kills and 100 percent serving with four aces.
Zoe Smithson had five blocks at the net and served 11 for 12 with an ace.
“An amazing job with blocking,” Reynolds said. “Zoe is able to hop over to the middle and she’s agile and has a great vertical [jump].”
Setter Emi Halberg totaled 12 digs, three kills and a pair of service aces while Lily Halberg posted eight digs, six kills and an ace.
Reynolds hopes her squad can learn from the match.
“Fourth set we might have gotten a little tired,” she said. “When we started game four we already had played two hours and 18 minutes. So this provides a great opportunity to practice our mental toughness and make sure we are on a steady climb and that we don’t give our all at the start and not have something left at the end.”
Port Angeles (0-1) hosts North Mason on Tuesday.
Sequim (1-0, 2-0) visits Olympic on Tuesday.
Boys tennis Sequim 6, Bremerton 1
SEQUIM — The Sequim tennis team began its 2021 Olympic League season with an easy 6-1 win over Bremerton.
The one loss was a forfeit. The Wolves swept all six matches played Thursday without losing a single set.
Singles players Garrett Little, Connor Bear and Koda Robinson all won in straight sets. The doubles teams of Jack Van DeWege/Henry Hughes, Kaiden Jones/Espn Judd and Adrian Brown/William Hughes all won in straight sets.
Little and the doubles team of Jones and Judd all won their matches 6-0, 6-0.
Coach Mark Textor named Connor Bear the player of the day.
The Wolves play at North Kitsap on Tuesday.
Sequim 6, Bremerton 1
Match Report
Singles
No. 1: Garrett Little (Seq.) def. Jackson Warner (Brem) 6-0, 6-0.
No. 2: Connor Bear (Seq.) def. Sylas Glazier (Brem.) 6-4, 6-2.
No. 3: Koda Robinson (Seq.) def. Tevin Austin (Brem.) 6-3, 6-3.
Doubles
No. 1: Jack VanDeWege/Henry Hughes (Seq.) def. Sandra Tang/Casey Pritchard 6-3, 6-3.
No. 2: Kaiden Jones/Espn Judd (Seq.) def. Nate McClain/Nico Crowley (Brem.) 6-0, 6-0.
No. 3: Adrian Brown/William Hughes (Seq.) def. David Lane/Bobby Ungren (Brem.) 6-0, 6-2.
No. 4: Sequim forfeit.
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Sports editor Pierre LaBossiere contributed to this story
