Capital settles for shot at state championship

3A VOLLEYBALL: Cougars lose bi-district title game against Camas, 3-2, but will make their return to state

MINDI RICE; For The Olympian | • Published November 08, 2009

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AUBURN – The Capital High volleyball team wasn’t content with its first state berth since 2003. The Cougars also wanted to leave an impression in the West Central/Southwest Bi-District tournament.

Junior Kristyn Ross nearly carried the Cougars to a district championship, with an impressive 26 kills and 17 digs in the championship match, but a potent Camas offense ended up being too much for Capital as the Papermakers won the bi-district title, 3-2.

“They run a really quick offense,” Capital coach Natalie Zukowski said. “It’s something we haven’t seen this year.”

The Camas offense wore down the Cougars in the second and fourth games, while Capital claimed wins in the other two, forcing a fifth game. The teams matched each other point for point most of the way, but a couple of late miscues went Camas’ way.

“We need to fine-tune all around for state,” Zukowski said. “But I thought our defense was superb this weekend and we played really well. The girls never gave up on themselves, even when they were down.”

The Cougars defeated Prairie, 3-0, in one semifinal to advance to the championship, while Camas advanced with a win against Peninsula. Ross had 45 kills in the two matches for Capital.

On the other side of the bracket, Timberline faced Kennedy in a winner-to-state, loser-out game that gave the Blazers a little more than a state berth to work for – it was also about finishing what their football counterparts started Friday night.

“Earlier this season, the football team beat Tumwater and then we beat Tumwater the next day,” Manke said. “Last night, the football team beat Kennedy, so we knew we had to finish it today.”

The Blazers later lost to Lakes in five games, earning the bi-district No. 7 seed to state.

Junior Gatalina Schuster led Timberline with 63 assists, while senior Taryn Smith had 17 kills and 51 digs.

Olympia runner-up to Curtis

After cruising through the opening rounds Friday, Olympia snuffed out Tahoma in a semifinal, 3-0, to earn a spot against Curtis in the championship.

But the only team advancing to the 4A state tournament from the Narrows League found the road more difficult against the Vikings, the South Puget Sound League’s No. 3 team.

“You can’t mow over everybody,” Olympia coach Laurie Creighton said. “We just don’t get to see enough of that kind of style of play that the SPSL has.”

The Bears came out firing early, picking up a 25-21 win in game one, before Curtis showed its strength and tied it at a game apiece with a 26-24 win in game two. The Vikings went on to win the next two games, 25-17 and 25-19, for the district title. Olympia advances as the No. 2 seed to state.

“One of our keys to success this weekend has been that we really pushed the other team’s passers,” Creighton said. “And I think in this match, we didn’t push them enough.”

Junior Lisa Chulich led the Bears’ attack with 12 kills, while senior Sarah Stoker added eight.

Senior Megan Triggs had 30 digs in the championship match, running her total to 56 for the day. Setter Michelle Christy had 59 assists in the Bears’ two matches Saturday.