YAKIMA — Mossyrock managed to finish second in the 2B state volleyball tournament after graduating five seniors and have three setters with only a week’s experience.
They lost in four sets to La Conner in the title game, after winning the first set. The match was scored 26-24, 25-22, 25-21, 25-11. All with a relatively new starting rotation and with brand new setters following an injury to starting setter Shania Hadaller.
“We were definitely an underdog in that way,” coach Alex Nelson said. “We have three of our athletes stepping in and setting the ball up so that puts us out of system quite a bit but they’ve exceeded my expectations by far coming over here.”
Getting to the title match is difficult regardless of how it’s sliced. But the Vikings also were forced to cut rare lamb with less than a plastic butter knife.
“If you look at the bracket, the first four, it was a rough bracket,” Nelson said. “Kalama, Northwest Christian, Walla Walla and those were all teams in the last month of the season that were ranked high by other coaches and WIAA. So just to get out of that round with two wins, that was a weight off.”
The third consecutive second place finish in the 2B tournament includes a bittersweet goodbye for the team’s lone senior, but also a provides a shot of confidence for the group’s future. Heather Edgar represents the leader in experience for the Vikings, and helped in several ways as the team went 9-1 in the Central 2B League. It was Edgar who picked up the reins left by the five departing seniors, while providing nice stats in her third state appearance.
“I really needed to step up and become a leader on our team and a lot of other girls really stepped up in that position,” Edgar said. “Our practices last year with all those seniors were just as good as some of our games. Our rallies and scrimmaging, it was just as tough as league games. So it really developed a lot of our younger girls.”
That was the key to it all — the run through the tournament was built on a foundation of proven coaching talent, superb athletes and a foundation left by former teammates. Even with a successful run prior to state, nerves remained.
“When we all looked at the bracket we all said ‘we’re not going to make it to the second day,’” Edgar said. “‘We’re not going to make it.’ But then we all worked really hard, we all played for each other. That got us to where we were.”
The end-game for Mossy was as simple as its start: build off every moment, good or bad, and learn from it all.
“That was probably the strongest I’ve seen from a group of girls ever,” Nelson said as her voice cracked slightly. “To get here and do the job they normally do, plus the job of setting it up, which was a big job. But it goes to great ball control and good volleyball sense. You don’t see any six-footers out there. You don’t see people that are jumping out of the gym. You just see really good ball control. Girls playing smart, working hard, and playing together.”
The results were 15 digs and nine kills for Edgar, 21 digs and eight assists for Faith Mulligan, while Andee Nelson finished with 20 digs, 10 kills and 10 assists. Jenny Brockway added 19 digs, and Morgan Houghtelling tallied seven kills, 10 digs and 10 assists.
And of course there was plenty confidence for the team’s future.
“It’s confidence, but also just wanting to be part of the program,” Nelson said. “I have to give credit to these girls. They’re great kids, and I think chemistry has a lot to do with it. You don’t get to this point without a superstar or great quality kids. And they’re quality kids.”
Semifinal Game
Vikings Trample Liberty to Reach Championship Game
YAKIMA — Mossyrock put themselves into a familiar position Friday morning when they downed Liberty (Spangle) by a score of 3-1 in the 2B state volleyball semifinals. Namely, the win propelled the Vikings to a spot in the championship game.
In 2017 the Vikings fell in the state title title to Northwest Christian (Colbert) in four sets.
Mossyrock set themselves up with a shot at redemption on Friday by dispatching Liberty in the semifinals. The Vikings actually dropped the first set 25-21, but then bounced back to win the next three sets by scores of 25-23, 25-19 and 27-25.
The win set Mossyrock up with a contest against La Conner to determine the state champion.
