Anytime a team scores 10 or more points in a row in a volleyball match, their chances of winning skyrocket. When a team can do it twice in one game, they’re almost impossible to beat.
The Black Hills volleyball team did just that on Tuesday at Centralia, going on several runs to quickly pull away to sweep the Tigers 25-8, 25-12, 26-24.
Not only were points coming in bunches often, but they were coming quickly.
The Wolves (10-4, 9-2 2A EvCo) tallied 14 aces from the service line, and there were several other serves that made things difficult for the Tigers defense.
“Our serving was actually really good tonight,” Black Hills coach Karlee Sampson said. “So I credit a lot of those runs to the serving, because a lot of those times the ball didn’t come back over.”
When the ball did make it back over the net, the Wolves ran their offense through Ashley Harris, who eclipsed 300 kills on the season with 19 on Tuesday.
Sampson had nothing but positive things to say about the senior hitter, particularly about how she lifts her teammates around her.
“She brings such a happy attitude all the time,” Sampson said. “Even where we’re down, she’s positive and she’s encouraging the girls. She does play at a very high level, yet she doesn’t come across like she’s better than anybody. She really is a team player, so I love that about her.”
The combination of the team’s successful serving and Harris’ ability at the net allowed the Wolves to pile it on fast.
After surrendering the first three points of the game, the Wolves went on a 7-0 run, and they later closed the set on a 13-0 run. They went on another 13-0 run after going down 2-0 in the second set, and ended that set on a 6-0 run.
The Wolves weren’t able to get a third run of 10 or more in the third set, but they instead rattled off a 13-1 run that put them up 16-8.
It wasn’t just Harris having success for the Wolves on Tuesday, as Lilly Kincaid finished with 23 assists, five aces, and three digs, Madison Malone had 11 digs, four assists and two aces, and Claire Johnson recorded nine kills and eight digs.
The Tigers were able to make a push late in the third set, eventually tying the game at 24, but the Wolves sealed the game from there.
The Tigers (8-6, 6-5 2A EvCo) were off-kilter for much of the night, specifically on defense, where they struggled with the aforementioned serving.
Centralia coach Marti Smith said that it was hard to pinpoint exactly what was going wrong throughout the night, saying it was an “odd night.” She noted that while it was special to honor the seniors pregame, she wasn’t sure if that had an impact on the game itself.
“We look like a team getting to know each other instead of a team deep into the season, and that’s just not who they are,” Smith said. “For whatever reason, it just wasn’t working for us tonight.”
Smith credited the girls with fighting back late, adding if they play with that intensity throughout a match, they’ll be more successful.
McKenna Smith went 21 for 22 serving with five aces and seven digs, Gracie Schofield had 12 digs, and Hollynn Wakefield and Lauren Wasson combined for seven kills.
At 9-2 in league play, the Wolves are locked into the No. 2 spot in the Evergreen Conference. After finishing their regular season at home against Shelton on Thursday, they will take on R.A. Long, the No. 3 team in the Greater St. Helens league, Thursday in the first round of the district tournament.
Centralia is also already in the district tournament, though the winner of the Tigers’ matchup against Aberdeen on Thursday will avoid the pigtail game on Tuesday against Mark Morris, instead advancing to the first round to play Ridgefield, the No. 2 team from the GSHL.
All of the district tournament games will be at Tumwater.
