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The University High School varsity volleyball team certainly knows
the meaning of the phrase, "backs to the wall."
Facing elimination from the GSL/Big 9 4A Regional Volleyball Tournament
at Moses Lake after a first-round loss last weekend, the Lady Titans
earned back-to-back wins and qualified for the state tournament
Friday and Saturday at the Regional Events Center in Everett.
U-Hi went on to win its third straight match, sweeping Kamiakin
25-17, 25-21, 25-18 to earn the third seed at state.
Mead won the regional tourney title with a 25-11, 25-17, 25-12 victory
over Eisenhower.
The Lady Titans take on surprise state qualifier Capital in a first-round
state match at 2:30 p.m. Friday. The winner advances to the championship
quarterfinals to face the Central Kitsap-Marysville-Pilchuck winner
at 9:30 p.m. Friday.
"They played really well, especially the last two matches,"
U-Hi coach Amanda Velasquez said of her team. "The turning
point was that (hitter) Daidre Mendenhall and (setter) Kara Crisp
were really connecting on their offense. They were unstoppable."
Other teams' defensive focus was on U-Hi leading attacker Mandy
Daniels.
Remembering the failure to qualify for state last year, the Lady
Titans were determined and very focused, according to Velasquez.
The U-Hi win over Kamiakin was revenge, since the Lady Titans lost
to the Kennewick school in a five-set match in the first round Friday.
Scores were 25-18, 23-25, 13-25, 26-24, 15-11.
Daniels had 17 kills and Crisp dished out 35 set assists. Molly
Owen led in digs with 20, and Kristina Kielbon had four blocks.
In a loser-out match Saturday morning, U-Hi eliminated Pasco 25-21,
21-25, 25-19, 26-24.
Mendenhall emerged as a force at the net, leading the Lady Titans
with 18 kills and three blocks. Crisp had 38 assists, and Blayre
Ditto hustled for 20 digs.
Needing a win over GSL rival Ferris to qualify for state, U-Hi
got it - 26-24, 23-25, 25-20, 25-17. The teams had split their four
matches this season.
"We were able to dig up a lot of stuff they were hitting at
us," Velasquez said. "There were some great rallies."
It was Mendenhall again doing most of the damage at the net. She
had 20 kills and two blocks. Crisp gave out 37 assists, and Owen
had 17 digs.
Velasquez said Mendenhall's play at the regional tourney was a great
confidence booster for her.
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