SEQUIM — For the second time this season, Sequim took undefeated North Kitsap to a fifth set.
But for the second time, the Vikings prevailed. This time at the Olympic League volleyball tournament at Sequim High School.
The only other team to push North Kitsap (8-0, 18-0) to five sets, Klahowya on Oct. 1.
The Wolves claim the league’s second seed at the 2A West Central District tournament at Franklin Pierce High School this weekend. They will have a first-round bye, and play Saturday at noon against the winner between Foster and Fife.
By winning its first game Sequim guarantees itself a spot in the state tournament.
After losing the first set in the league championship game, the Wolves took a 2-1 lead by taking the next two.
But the Vikings responded with a pair of wins to earn the tournament championship and the Olympic League’s top seed at the district tournament.
Sequim (7-1, 12-6) opened the two-round league tournament with a 3-1 victory over Port Angeles (25-15, 18-25, 25-21, 25-6), the second time this week the Wolves have defeated their rivals.
The Roughriders played Sequim even to 10-10 before the Wolves had a burst of momentum and rolled to a big win.
“Game 2, we came out with fire and energy and excitement and controlled the game from the start,” Port Angeles coach Christine Halberg said.
“[We] played strong as a team and made fewer mistakes.
“Game 3, we played very well, too, but Sequim was able to match our excitement and they pushed us hard by hitting strong and more consistently.”
The Wolves jumped ahead 14-10 after three Port Angeles errors. Sequim remained ahead at 20-15 with help from four more errors by the Riders.
But Port Angeles made a good run to get within one on Emily Johnson’s serving, but Sequim finished the set with three big kills.
“Game 4 was a mystery, and it started off with a [Port Angeles] point that got overturned, and after that it just seemed we just couldn’t do anything to get a point or get any type of momentum,” Halberg said.
Johnson served 15 for 16 with three aces for nine points and had eight digs for the Riders.
Bailee Jones contribute 10 kills and 8/8 serving for three points, and Holli Williams served for six points and had 20 assists and 11 digs.
Roughriders outlast Klahowya
In their second game, Port Angeles defeated Klahowya in three sets 17-25, 25-19, 25-23, 21-25, 15-7.
The Riders (6-2, 10-7) claim the league’s third seed at the district tournament. They will open against Evergreen on Friday at 5 p.m. in a loser-out game. The winner moves on to face Sumner in the double-elimination portion of the tournament.
Klahowya (5-3, 10-8) built an early 13-8 lead in the opening set before Port Angeles’ Kendra Harvey went on a serving streak that tied the score at 13-13.
The Eagles answered with a streak of their own to take a 19-13 lead, and held on from there.
“In Game 2, [we] changed the pace and served and attacked the ball stronger and brought more energy,” Halberg said.
“Emily Johnson served strong for us at critical moments.”
The third game was a seesaw battle throughout.
Port Angeles was down 11-4 when Brittany Norberg served five straight points with two aces to decrease the deficit to 11-10.
Klahowya served three straight points of its won to extend its lead to 17-12.
At 21-15, Norberg served another series of three points to bring the Riders to within two points at 21-19.
Blocking and setting errors by the Eagles made the score 23-22.
Bailee Jones then served an ace for the Riders, tying the set at 23-23.
Klahowya had a hitting error that put it at game point, and then a kill by Maddy Hinrichs gave the set to Port Angeles.
In the fourth set, strong serving from Williams and Harvey and kills by Harvey and Jones tied the score at 20-20, but five kills by Klahowya set the match to a fifth set, which Port Angeles dominated.
“The final set went fast and we controlled the tempo of the set from the start,” Halberg said.
“We didn’t commit any errors and forced Klahowya to make the errors — they had eight in the short 15-point set.”
The Eagles earned their seven points with strong kills. Port Angeles’s came from three blocks, two kills and two aces.
