Spartans volleyball tames Bearcats

STANWOOD — It’s difficult to beat a team twice in a season, but the Stanwood High School volleyball team proved Tuesday night they can do it three times.

The Spartans downed the Bearcats 3-1 in a home, District 1 3A quarterfinals match, which also added to top-seeded Stanwood’s (13-3 overall) five-game win streak. Set scores were 25-18, 25-18, 21-25 and 25-23. The Spartans bested Monroe (11-7) in a five-set match earlier in the season and got a three-set sweep last Monday in the final regular-season match.

Stanwood sophomore outside hitters Whitney Longspaugh and Harper Neyens combined for 36 kills, 31 digs and four aces, junior setter Addison Bowie charted 40 assists and 13 digs, junior defensive setter Lyla Henken contributed 16 digs and junior outsider hitter Cambrielle Brown had 10 kills, five digs and four aces.

The Spartans trailed on five occasions in the first set before tying it 12-12 and scoring six consecutive points to take a comfortable lead and set win. They also lost the first point of the second set but never trailed after going ahead 3-2.

Monroe, the No. 8 seed in the tournament, controlled most of the third set until Stanwood tied it 19-19. But four straight points forced the Spartans to play catch-up.

“We just gave away too much,” said Stanwood coach Megan Amundson about conceding the third set. “We put ourselves in a bad situation and had to try to fight out of it. … I think we came out with low energy, which really gave them that opening. … We got caught standing up a couple of times in the match in general, but I think … they did a good job of that relentless pursuit of nothing hits the floor without us getting after it.”

There were three lead changes in the third set, but Longspaugh tallied several kills throughout to help keep Stanwood one-three points ahead. The Bearcats tied it 21-21 after sending over a hit that Spartans players deflected out of bounds. But Neyens’ kill made it 22-21 and a Stanwood block at the net added another point for a 23-21 lead before the final few scores and a two-point set victory.

Monroe sophomore Shannara Peebles registered 27 digs and nine kills, sophomore Maddie Walker had 19 digs and three aces, sophomore Daphne Klang recorded 11 digs and six kills, senior Alexis Walker contributed 15 assists and junior Katelyn Cockrum helped on defense with five blocks.

“We practiced very strategically this week on zone to be able to take out their hitters but also being much more aggressive on offense,” said Bearcats coach Jami Walker. “(In the third set), we kept talking about good energy, making sure everybody was looking alive when that ball went over, and there was no relaxing on our side so that we were ready for anything, specifically deflection off the block.

“We’re definitely going to be doing some more film watching … (and) spending a lot of time in the gym,” she continued. “We have some specific plays we’re going to be working on this week. And I know we only have a couple of days, but we’ve already been putting some of those in place, which we did today (and) seemed to be effective.”

The Spartans battle No. 4 Lynnwood in the semifinals, and Monroe faces No. 5 Ferndale in a loser-out contest. Both matches are on Thursday at Stanwood High School.