MARYSVILLE — Edmonds-Woodway volleyball coach Mike Pittis can say goodbye to his 40-year-old mustache.
He probably doesn’t mind.
Pittis promised his players that he would shave his mustache if the Warriors made it to the 4A state tournament on their first day of the 4A District 1 tournament. His players delivered with two wins, an opening-round victory over Marysville-Pilchuck 23-25, 25-12, 25-15, 25-15 and a win over Jackson in the winner-to-state semifinal 25-14, 18-25, 25-19, 25-21.
“Its like an indescribable feeling because this is our third year going back in a row,” E-W senior opposite hitter Haley Scott said.
Jackson (14-2) advanced to the semifinal with an opening-round win over Snohomish 25-15, 27-25, 25-18.
Edmonds-Woodway may have started slow against M-P, but the Warriors turned it around against Jackson, easily taking the first game 25-14.
“I didn’t expect us to come out quite as hot as we did that first game,” Pittis said.
But E-W had a second-set letdown. Jackson led for almost all of the second game and tied the match at a game apiece.
From that point, it was all E-W, leading almost the whole way in each of the next two sets, securing a state berth.
“I am so proud of these kids, they really really worked hard,” Pittis said.
“We just played so well together today,” Scott said.
With a 23-21 lead in the fourth set, Miah Diirell, a freshman, was serving with an opportunity to close out the match. Diirell didn’t look like a freshman as she delivered two aces to win the match.
“It was a lot of pressure, but I got a lot of encouragement from my team,” Diirell said.
“Miah is one of the biggest assets to our team. We would not be in this position without her,” Scott said.
Diirell felt the pressure, but perhaps not as much as she would have if she knew exactly what was riding on her serves.
“She didn’t realize that if we won that match that we were going to state,” Pittis said.
When Diirell finally found out, the tears started flowing.
“Nobody could really talk, we were all crying,” Diirell said.
Leigh Fishback had 44 assists and 12 digs, Diirell had 14 kills and five aces, Scott had 12 kills and Becca Stern had 17 digs for Edmonds-Woodway (13-3).
Haley MacDonald had 30 assists, Leigh-Ann Haataja had 14 kills, 15 digs and six aces and Emmy Allen had 13 kills for Jackson
Edmonds-Woodway plays Kamiak at 1 p.m. on Saturday at Marysville-Pilchuck H.S. for the district championship and the top seed to the state tournament. Last year, the Warriors lost the district championship to Monroe in five sets.
As for that mustache.
“Oh it’s gone,” Diirell said.
“Saturday we are hoping to see a clean-shaven face,” Scott added.
Pittis is sure to keep his end of the bargain, but will we ever see the mustache again?
“I guess I could grow it back, but I don’t know. I’m having trouble growing it on top,” Pittis joked.
M-P (11-4) rebounded from its opening round loss to defeat Snohomish 25-22, 25-20, 19-25, 25-18. Snohomish fell to 6-9.
The Tomahawks face Monroe at 11 a.m. Saturday at M-P in a loser-out match. Jackson, the top seed from Wesco South, faces Mountlake Terrace at 11 a.m at M-P in a loser-out match. The winner from those two matches face off in a winner-to-state/loser-out match later Saturday.
Talk to us
> Give us your news tips.
> Send us a letter to the editor.
> More Herald contact information.
