YAKIMA — The storybook ride just continues for the Monroe volleyball team.
Taking a seven-match win streak into the Class 4A state tournament, the red-hot Bearcats added two more victories Friday in the Yakima Valley SunDome to reach the state semifinals for the first time in program history.
Monroe dispatched two-time defending state champion Auburn Riverside in a four-set opening-round win, then rallied for a five-set quarterfinal victory over Puyallup to accomplish the historic feat.
“I’m just overwhelmed with happiness,” Bearcats junior Avery Davidson said. “It’s the best feeling ever. I’m just so proud of everybody on the team and how well they played. … It hasn’t really hit me yet that we’re going to the semifinals.”
Monroe (15-4) will face unbeaten West Valley-Yakima (19-0) at 1 p.m. Saturday in the state semifinals. The winner will play either Richland or Kentridge at 7 p.m. in the state championship match.
“I don’t really have words to describe it,” Davidson said. “I knew from the start of the season that we had the potential to do this, and so it just makes me so happy that we were able to pull through and get it done.”
Monroe started the season 6-4 before kick-starting its win streak with a victory over eventual Wesco 4A champion Lake Stevens. The Bearcats continued their hot streak in the Wes-King bi-district tournament, sweeping all three matches and claiming the tournament title with another win over the Vikings.
“The beginning of the year, we started off kind of rocky,” Davidson said. “We had some games that we let go, but I don’t know what happened. At the end of the season we just got a wave of energy and just powered through everybody. The team chemistry is so good, and that is definitely a huge factor in it.”
“Our team really centers around the love that we have for each other and the fun we have with each other,” Bearcats junior Sarah Day added.
Monroe relied on its tight-knit bond Friday to overcome deficits in both matches.
In the state opener against Auburn Riverside (13-10), the Bearcats dropped the first set before winning the final three frames for a 17-25, 25-18, 25-13, 25-17 victory.
“We came out a little nervous, I think,” Monroe coach April Munoz said. “A little nervous and a little tight. Once we relaxed and just played loose with each other, then were were fine. We could play our game (and) we could focus.”
The Bearcats twice fell behind in the quarterfinal against Puyallup (17-6), but rallied both times. After dropping the first set 25-21, Monroe evened the match with a 26-24 second-set win. Then after losing the third frame 25-15, the Bearcats held on for a 25-23 fourth-set victory to force a deciding frame.
Monroe then raced to an early fifth-set lead and never relinquished it, winning the final frame 15-9 on a match-clinching spike by Day that sent the Bearcats into a euphoric celebration.
“Their chemistry is really what has won them over and helped them get through those tough times,” Munoz said. “When they’re feeling down or they get behind, they just love each other so much and they feed off each other’s energy and it’s awesome. It’s awesome to see.”
Day led the Bearcats with 14 kills, Davidson added 10 kills and Sophia Barber had eight kills and four blocks. Senior outside hitter Samantha Zimmerman posted nine kills, four blocks and 20 digs. Tatum McGovern provided 24 assists, Brooke Barnes added 21 assists and Lexi Carpenter had 15 digs.
“We have a diverse offense,” Munoz said. “We’re not one-dimensional. We have multiple hitters all over, (and) it really throws another team’s defense off, because they don’t know where it’s going. And we have great setters that can put that ball where they want to put it, when they want to put it.”
It’s been a historic ride for Monroe, but the team certainly isn’t ready to rest on its laurels. The Bearcats hope to keep adding to their win streak Saturday.
“We do not want it to end,” Davidson said.
Snohomish reaches 3A quarterfinals, falls to defending champs
Snohomish advanced to the 3A state quarterfinals with a five-set win over Bishop Blanchet, beating the Braves 25-22, 22-25, 25-23, 19-25, 15-12 in the opening round.
MacKenzie Whyte posted 16 kills and four aces for the Panthers (17-1), who had three players finish with double-digit kills in the victory. Natalie Stern added 14 kills and 25 digs, and Grace Raper had 12 kills.
Lauren Riske provided a team-high 36 digs, while both Allison Graham and Bethany McBrien finished with 20-plus assists and 11 digs apiece.
“Lauren played lights-out,” Snohomish coach Alex Tarin said. “Her defense was superb. Her serve-receive was great. If it wasn’t for that, we probably would’ve ended up with a loss.”
Snohomish was eliminated from title contention in the quarterfinals, where the Panthers fell 25-14, 25-11, 23-25, 25-17 in a four-set loss to defending state champion Capital (19-0). The Cougars entered having lost just two sets all season.
“The difference between them and us tonight is they just didn’t make as many mistakes as we did,” Tarin said. “They’re a solid team. There’s a reason why they won the state title last year, and they’re a favorite to win again this year. But I was proud of the way we fought back.”
Snohomish will face Eastside Catholic at 11 a.m. Saturday in the consolation bracket, with the winner advancing to the fifth-place match.
Other local teams
Lake Stevens, Kamiak, Stanwood and Oak Harbor each were eliminated from title contention with opening-round losses.
Lake Stevens (16-3) was swept by Tahoma in the first round of the 4A tournament, but bounced back with a four-set victory over North Creek in the consolation bracket. The Vikings will face Kennedy Catholic at 9 a.m. Saturday for a spot in the seventh-place match.
Kamiak (13-8) was swept by unbeaten West Valley-Yakima in its 4A state opener, but rebounded with a four-set win over University. The Knights will face Chiawana at 9 a.m. Saturday, with the winner advancing to the seventh-place match.
In the 3A tournament, Stanwood (15-4) bounced back from a four-set opening-round loss to Eastside Catholic with a five-set win over Stadium. The Spartans will face Seattle Prep at 11 a.m. Saturday for a spot in the seventh-place match.
Oak Harbor (13-6) was swept by Prairie in its 3A state opener, and then fell in five sets to Mountain View in a consolation match.
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