Lake Stevens clinches state volleyball berth after 5-set win

LAKE STEVENS — The unbeaten Lake Stevens High School volleyball team was pushed to five sets for just the second time this season.

The Vikings didn’t fret and responded with another victory.

Lake Stevens and Mount Si went toe-to-toe, trading big hits throughout the match, and junior Isabella Christensen celebrated her birthday Tuesday night by delivering the game-winning point as the Vikings clinched their fifth straight Class 4A state tournament berth with a tightly contested 25-20, 22-25, 25-18, 16-25, 15-13 win in a 4A Wes-King Bi-District Tournament semifinal clash at Lake Stevens High School.

“I thought it was a battle all the way around,” Vikings coach Kyle Hoglund said. “Both teams played really well. Our team kept their head in the game, fought through some adversity and I couldn’t ask for anything more of them. That team over there was a good team. I hope we don’t seem them in state again, but they’ll be there.”

Second-seeded Lake Stevens (16-0) trailed 7-5 in the final frame before Hoglund called timeout. The Vikings came out of the break with two points to tie it at 7-7 before third-seeded Mount Si (18-3) ran off three straight points for a 10-7 lead.

The back-and-forth final frame continued with a four-point run by Lake Stevens that made it 11-10. The Wildcats regained control at 13-12. The Vikings closed it out with three straight points, capped Christensen’s game-winning kill that set off a spirited celebration for Lake Stevens and its home crowd.

“I was saying, ‘Were gonna win. I’m not gonna let a single ball drop,’” Christensen said of heading to an unfamiliar fifth frame.

The Vikings won a tight first set led by its hard-hitting front line. Senior Hayli Tri posted four kills and two aces in the frame, senior Kylie Ascher and Christensen added three kills and senior Anna Schroedl delivered the final two Lake Stevens points for a 25-20 victory.

It was all Mount Si early in the second set. The Wildcats raced out to a 10-2 lead and pushed it to 22-9 before Lake Stevens made a furious comeback. The Vikings scored 13 of the next 15 points and pulled within two at 24-22, but the Wildcats stopped the run just short and earned a 25-22 set win.

Lake Stevens cheer after a point in the first game as the Vikings beat Mount Si in five sets in a Class 4A Wes-King Bi-District tournament semifinal volleyball matchup Tuesday in Lake Stevens. (Andy Bronson / The Herald)

The Vikings used a 5-0 run to take a 10-8 lead in the third frame. They didn’t allow Mount Si to put more than two straight points together after and pulled out a 25-18 victory. Tri added four more kills and two blocks, including the set winner.

Trailing 9-7 in the fourth frame, Mount Si regained control thanks to scoring 14 of 16 points to take a 21-11 lead. The Vikings appeared to have another late charge coming after scoring four straight, but the Wildcats ended that push by taking four of the next five to force a deciding fifth set.

The tense final frame ensued. Lake Stevens did just enough to off hold its challenger and punched its ticket to the state tournament.

“Big hitting teams on both sides, and that’s what it came down to,” Hoglund said.

Lake Stevens moves on to face top-seeded Bothell in the bi-district championship match 2 p.m. Saturday at Bothell High School.

Lake Stevens’ Hayli Tri lays out for the dig as Lake Stevens beat Mount Si in five sets in a Class 4A Wes-King Bi-District tournament semifinal volleyball matchup Tuesday in Lake Stevens. (Andy Bronson / The Herald)

Lake Stevens cheer after a point in the first game as the Vikings beat Mount Si in five sets in a Class 4A Wes-King Bi-District tournament semifinal volleyball matchup Tuesday in Lake Stevens. (Andy Bronson / The Herald)

Lake Stevens’ Alyss Kelly watches the ball go out of bounds. (Andy Bronson / The Herald)

Lake Stevens’ Isabella Christensen sends the ball past two Mount Si defenders. (Andy Bronson / The Herald)

Lake Stevens’ Katelyn Eichert (right) looks for the call as her teammates celebrate a point. (Andy Bronson / The Herald)

Lake Stevens beat Mount Si in five sets in a Class 4A Wes-King Bi-District tournament semifinal volleyball matchup Tuesday. (Andy Bronson / The Herald)

Lake Stevens’ Alyss Kelly digs up the ball as Lake Stevens beat Mount Si in five sets in a Class 4A Wes-King Bi-District tournament semifinal volleyball matchup Tuesday. (Andy Bronson / The Herald)

Lake Stevens’ Isabella Christensen taps the ball over the net. (Andy Bronson / The Herald)

Lake Stevens head coach Kyle Hoglund gives his team advice before the start of the fifth game. (Andy Bronson / The Herald)

Lake Stevens’ Kylie Ascher sends the ball back into the court as she and teammate Anna Schroedl chase it down. (Andy Bronson / The Herald)

Lake Stevens celebrates after beating Mount Si in five sets in a Class 4A Wes-King Bi-District tournament semifinal volleyball matchup Tuesday in Lake Stevens. (Andy Bronson / The Herald)