The Shorecrest volleyball team had a memorable year last fall that included an undefeated regular season, Western Conference South Division championship and a third-place finish at state, its best in school history.
The Scots went 21-2 last year, with the only blemishes a loss to Everett in the 3A District 1 title game and a state semifinal defeat at the hands of Kennedy. But they aren’t content to let that stand as their highest accomplishment. They hope to make their sixth consecutive trip to the state 3A tournament and get the title this time.
“We’re hoping to improve upon our record from last year and our state finish,” senior co-captain Anna Herold said.
The Scots lost three key seniors off last year’s team, outside hitter Brittney Harrison, Molly Gibson and Molly Donahue but they return six players who played integral roles last season.
The Scots run a two-setter offense with first-team Wesco South selection Herold and junior Kerry Clavadetscher, the two best setters in the league, according to Scots’ coach Dave Morehouse, feeding the hitters. Senior Tori Olsen (5-feet, 7 inches) and junior Gloria Tseng (5-9) are the returning outside hitters. Junior Jamie McDonald (6-0) fills one middle hitter spot. Junior Lauren Deatrick, a key substitute last year, will try to fill Donahue’s shoes at libero/defensive specialist.
Competing for the other middle hitter slot are sophomores Gabrielle Leif (6-2) and Nicole Swenson (5-10). Swenson moved up from C team and has shown considerable improvement.
Sophomore setter Casey Axelson and junior defensive specialist Erika Warren will swing from junior varsity to varsity.
“We still got depth once again,” Herold said.
Morehouse, who is in his 20th year at Shorecrest, said defense, which has always been Shorecrest’s trademark, is the team’s strength along with its setters.
“Our defense puts us apart from other teams,” Herold said.
Still, Morehouse believes, the Scots can improve in blocking and defense.
The Scots had some new faces last year, and Clavadetscher, a transfer, had to win an appeal to the Washington Interscholastic Activities Association to prove hardship before she became eligible. It’s a different atmosphere this season.
“Last year we had a lot of new players and we meshed early in the season,” Herold said. “We know each other more (now). We have more fun — it’s a lot easier to mesh as a team.”
Kamiak, who Shorecrest played in a nonleague opener Wednesday after Enterprise deadlines, is the biggest obstacle to the Scots winning the Wesco South again. Edmonds-Woodway, Jackson and Lynnwood are the best of the rest, according to Morehouse.
And if they snag one of the two District 1 spots to the Toyota Center in Kennewick in November, they can expect to face teams like defending champion Bishop Blanchet or Kennedy who knocked the Scots off in the state semifinals. But for now, as Herold said, the Scots must take things game-by-game and focus on the regular season.
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