Dealing with various illnesses and injuries, the Centralia volleyball team fell in a straight-sets loss at home to Black Hills Thursday, 25-19, 25-23, 25-9.
After battling through illness in two competitive sets, the Tigers simply ran out of steam in the third set of the loss. Two five-set games last weekend and a bout of illness hit the team this week, and the Tigers gave it everything they had Thursday.
“We have to step out on the court and execute, but most of the team was playing sick,” Tigers coach Marti Smith said. “We’re not 100% healthy, the girls gave everything they had in all three sets, even in that third set. It was just a matter of hurting bodies, all I can ask of them is to give 100% of what they have left, and they did. But I’m proud of them. I kept challenging them to make Black Hills have to earn their points. They made Black Hills have to fight.”
Gracie Schofield had 13 digs, and was especially proficient at chasing down second balls in the back row. Peyton Smith was a perfect 10 for 10 serving with 14 assists and three blocks, and Emily Wilkerson and Tatum Johnston each added four blocks as well in a strong showing at the net against a taller Wolves squad.
“At the beginning of that first set, they were getting to us,” Marti Smith said. “I was telling the blockers, we need to have pride in our blocking, we’re overthinking it. We actually could’ve had a ton more, we had a lot that went off hands and out of bounds. It was really nice to see, it really picked up our energy, because we realized we could get these guys.”
Lauren Wasson and Hollynn Wakefield added four kills a piece for Centralia in the loss.
The Tigers will play in the R.A. Long tournament this Saturday before returning to league action against Aberdeen on Tuesday.
