SEQUIM — Sequim has had its share of trouble opening matches this season, but sparked by a Sydney Clark serving run Tuesday, the Wolves produced a 3-0 (25-12, 25-19, 25-20) win over rival Port Angeles.
“Sydney Clark was our third server in the beginning game and served 12 points in a row with four aces,” Sequim coach Jennie Webber-Heilman said. “We went from up 8-2 to up 19-2.
“Our whole thing is, we have started slow in a lot of matches and we came out really strong last night, so that was nice to see. That was something we saw at the Olympia tournament over the weekend, teams getting off to good starts, girls getting up for blocks, serving tough and working hard on the court. All those teams are state tournament teams at 3A or 4A, so I think it was good for our girls to see that.”
Clark, Sequim’s setter, finished the match 21-for-22 on serves with five aces. She added eight digs and 21 assists.
Jolene Vaara led the Wolves offensively, going 10-for-12 on serves with two aces, a perfect pass with 17 kills. Vaara added 13 digs defensively.
“She was hitting really well last night,” Webber-Heilman said.
Sequim withstood an injury to middle hitter Arianna Stovall in the second game.
“She hurt her ankle toward the end of the second game,” Webber-Heilman said. “They could have panicked, but they kept playing.”
Stovall was 4-for-5 on serves with five kills before leaving the match.
Freshman Rose Gibson added three kills and a block while coming in for Stovall. Libero Tiffany Lam had six digs and a perfect pass while Kassi Montero served 8-for-10 with two kills and four digs.
Brianna Palenik also fared well at the service line.
“She had a couple of four-point runs that helped us,” Webber-Heilman said.
Port Angeles coach Alyssa Wetzler was happy to see the effort her players put into the contest.
“We went into it with a couple of people in different positions due to sickness,” Wetzler said. “We put players in different positions and played it out. Our girls were able to stay confident and excited just to play some good volleyball and enjoy some good competition.”
Wetzler said Paige Pangaro showed her versatility.
“Paige Pangaro played on the right side all the way around and served as the libero in the last set,” Wetzler said. “She was super scrappy getting crazy digs.
“Jasmen Murray was our libero for the first two sets and she held her own in the back row. She had scrappy digs, she laid out for the ball. And when she’d get a dig with those crazy heart attacks coming at her.
Wetzler said Bridget Weed “did a great job of serving” and “provided some strong back-row attacks.”
“Heidi Leitz is left-handed and she played on the right side as opposite hitter and outside hitter and she was able to keep the court loud. Volleyball is a game of communication and she’s communicating out there.”
Port Angeles (3-6, 3-7) visits North Mason tonight. Sequim (7-2, 7-3) hosts Olympic tonight.
Girls Soccer
Vashon 4, East Jefferson 3
PORT TOWNSEND — The Rivals went on the attack and, thanks to an Iris Mattern hat trick, nearly knocked off the Pirates in a driving rainstorm Tuesday night at Memorial Field.
“Biblical rain, about 20 minutes before the match started, it opened up on us,” Coach Rob Cantley said. “Teams that play on [artificial] turf, when they come up here [and play on grass], they struggle, so let’s go after them. We put out an attacking formation and we played really well and got opportunities.”
East Jefferson spotted Vashon a 2-0 halftime lead as the Pirates scored on a counter and a long, looping shot, but regrouped at halftime.
“In the 50th minute we earned a free kick from about 30-35 yards out and I told Iris to have a go at goal. In that wet weather, lets try it and she put it in on frame, goalie got hands on it but it went in,” Cantley said.
Vashon scored again off a rebound and followed up with another goal for a 4-1 lead with 15 minutes left.
“Credit to the girls, they kept playing,” Cantley said. “We scored on a good combo in the 70th minute, Sienna Emerson got around her mark and set the ball inside for Iris.”
East Jefferson hit the crossbar with a shot late, and scored when Mattern headed in a goal off a corner kick sent in by Ava Shiflett.
“We had about a minute left and there was a mad scramble in their box but we couldn’t get a good shot,” Cantley said.
“Mi Amada Ramirez anchored our defense and did a great job of breaking up plays and linking up with our midfielders. And Teri Wiley, one of our freshmen defenders, she played well in the back.”
East Jefferson (2-6-1, 2-7-1) visits Bellevue Christian today.
The Sequim volleyball team celebrates winning a point against Port Angeles. From left, are, Group shot: From left, Kassi Montero, Sydney Hegvedt, Brianna Palenik, Tiffany Lam (1), Jolene Vaara and Sydney Clark. (Michael Dashiell/Olympic Peninsula News Group)
