MARYSVILLE — The Kamiak Knights girls volleyball team knows when to step it up a notch.
At the 4A District 1 volleyball championships on Wednesday, Kamiak didn’t lose a set. The Knights swept Lake Stevens 25-19, 25-20, 25-20 in the first round and also blanked Monroe in the semifinals, never trailing in any set en route to the 25-16, 25-17, 25-20 win.
Monroe earned its way into the semifinal by beating Mountlake Terrace 25-19, 25-18, 25-14 in the first round.
With the victory, the Knights earned a trip to the Nov. 12-13 4A state tournament and a place in the district championship game at Marysville-Pilchuck H.S. at 1 p.m., Saturday. Kamiak’s opponent will be determined by today’s district results.
“It feels like we just won the state championship and we are actually just going to state,” Kamiak head coach Natalie Bowie said.
“It was amazing, a complete team effort,” said sophomore outside hitter Bryce Larson. “I was overjoyed, I could not scream loud enough.”
Kamiak jumped out to an early lead in every set, putting at least the first three points on the board each time. That lead propelled them through the first two sets without much adversity.
In the third set, Kamiak held a 15-10 lead, but Monroe closed the gap, cutting the lead to 17-16 after two Kendal Munoz aces.
Then Kamiak shut the door.
“They just played determined, they were determined to stay on top,” Bowie said.
After the match was over, Munoz came over to Larson with a congratulatory hug. The two play club volleyball together.
“It’s fun knowing someone because we can compete, but then go back and be really good friends,” Larson said.
Last year, it was Larson who congratulated Munoz after losing a winner-to-state match to Monroe.
“They are friends because they play together, but when its on the court, it’s all business,” Bowie said.
This time, it was the Knights who got to celebrate.
“I threw my stuff down and ran as fast as I could to the center of the court to hug and congratulate those six girls,” Bowie said. “It was just a moment of pure joy.”
“They played like one incredible family,” Bowie added.
Beating Monroe is no easy task, only three teams have done it all season, but Tuesday the Knights made it look easy.
“On any given night in the game of high school sports, a team can beat another team,” Bowie said. “You go into any match and you just hope that you can play to your potential.”
Larson had 11 kills and eight digs, Jazmyne Dopp had 10 kills, Goli Soleimanpour had nine digs and Ally Bowles had 32 assists to lead the Knights.
Munoz had 19 assists and Megan Birch had 11 kills to lead Monroe.
The excitement of earning a trip to state, was atonement for Kamiak’s disappointment last season when it was eliminated by Stanwood after its loss to Monroe in the semifinals. “The girls that were on the team last year had that in the back of their heads,” Bowie said. “We use the analogy all the time of the ladder, and just taking another step up on the ladder.”
Now that the Knights have accomplished one goal, they plan on refocusing for the remaining business at hand. “Tomorrow evening we go into the gym and practice hard,” Bowie said after the match.
“We’re ready to dominate and take that first position,” Larson said.
Monroe (15-3) plays a loser-out game at 11 a.m., Saturday at M-P.
Mountlake Terrace (8-11) rebounded from its opening-round loss to Monroe to defeat Lake Stevens 25-27, 16-25, 25-17, 25-15, 15-12. Lake Stevens fell to 8-10. The Hawks play a loser-out game at 11 a.m., Saturday at M-P. Monroe’s and Mountlake Terrace’s opponents will be determined by today’s results.
Talk to us
> Give us your news tips.
> Send us a letter to the editor.
> More Herald contact information.
