Volleyball: Top-ranked NK edges Sequim in five games

By Michael Dashiell • October 17, 2018 1:30 am
Sequim’s Annika Christiansen (18) looks to hit between the blocks of North Kitsap defenders Taylyn Boop (3) and Autumn Carver (7) in the Wolves’ five-game loss to the No. 1-ranked Vikings on Oct. 11. Sequim Gazette photo by Matthew Nash
Sequim’s Annika Christiansen (18) looks to hit between the blocks of North Kitsap defenders Taylyn Boop (3) and Autumn Carver (7) in the Wolves’ five-game loss to the No. 1-ranked Vikings on Oct. 11. Sequim Gazette photo by Matthew Nash

Olympic League standings

(as of Oct. 15)

Team Lg. Over.

North Kitsap 9-0 10-0

Sequim 8-2 10-2

Kingston 7-3 8-4

North Mason 5-4 7-4

Bremerton 2-8 3-8

Olympic 2-8 2-10

Port Angeles 0-9 0-11

Frustratingly close, but just not enough.

Sequim scored the first four points in a fifth and deciding set but wasn’t able to close out a victory against the state’s top-ranked team last week.

Reigning league champ North Kitsap, ranked No. 1 in a state volleyball coaches poll among all 2A teams, lost a two set lead and fell behind early before edging Sequim’s Wolves on Oct. 11.

The Vikings won games one and two (25-15, 25-21).

“We started slow and we scored only one or two points each rotation,” Sequim coach Jennie Webber Heilman said. “We started playing better in the second (game), getting more digs and passing serves better.”

The Vikings lost their libero (defensive specialist) to an ankle injury and the Wolves took advantage, scoring most of their kills in the third, fourth and fifth games.

Sequim — led by senior Tayler Breckenridge (13 kills, 30 digs), sophomore Jayla Julmist (11 kills, four blocks) and sophomore Kalli Wiker (33 assists, 28 digs) — won games three and four, 25-21 and 25-20.

North Kitsap, however, had enough left in the tank to win game five, 15-13. After seeing Sequim score the first four points, NK reeled off nine consecutive points. The Wolves battled back to within a point (10-9) but couldn’t retake the lead.

“Our team played very well as a whole,” Webber Heilman said.

Sequim got a solid all-around game from senior Latisha Robideau, who had a personal-best nine kills to go with six assists and 21 digs. Seniors Bobbi Sparks and Isabelle Dennis combined for 40 digs, and Wiker was a perfect 21-for-21 on serves.

Sequim started the week with a three-game sweep of the Olympic on the road on Oct. 9. The Wolves took thr e first two games, 250-20, 25-17, before holding off the Trojans in a competitive third game, 25-23.

Breckenridge led the team with 11 kills and 12 digs, while Wiker and Julmist tied for the team lead with four aces each.

“We started off very flat,” Webber Heilman said, “(but) by the second rotation we were playing better.”

Wiker had 19 assists and was 16-for-16 on serves.

Sequim also played at the Capitol Invite in Olympia on Oct. 13

In pool play, Sequim split two games with Nooksack Valley (19-25, 25-18), dropped two to Capital (25-8, 25-16) and split with Auburn (25-13, 23-25).

In the playoff bracket, Sequim dropped two games to North Thurston (25-19, 25-18) and two close games in a rematch with Nooksack Valley (25-23, 25-21).

“There were some very good teams there and it was good competition for us,”Webber Heilman said.

Looking ahead

Sequim is at North Mason on Oct. 18 before hosting Kingston in the Wolves’ final regular season match on Oct. 22.

The Olympic League tourney, a four-team seeding tournament for districts, is set for Saturday, Oct. 27 at North Kitsap, the league’s top seed, in Poulsbo.

The league’s top four teams — North Kitsap, Sequim, Kingston and North Mason — then advance to the West Central District tournament, scheduled for Nov. 2-3 at Franklin Pierce High School in Tacoma.

Sequim’s Arlene Law (23) and the Wolves battle North Kitsap on Oct. 11. Sequim Gazette photo by Matthew Nash Sequim’s Arlene Law (23) and the Wolves battle North Kitsap on Oct. 11. Sequim Gazette photo by Matthew Nash

Sequim’s Arlene Law (23) and the Wolves battle North Kitsap on Oct. 11. Sequim Gazette photo by Matthew Nash Sequim’s Arlene Law (23) and the Wolves battle North Kitsap on Oct. 11. Sequim Gazette photo by Matthew Nash

Sequim players Bobbi Sparks (27), Kalli Wiker (21), Tayler Breckenridge (28) and Jayla Julmist (30) celebrate a point in the Wolves’ Oct. 11 match-up with North Kitsap. Sequim Gazette photo by Matthew Nash Sequim players Bobbi Sparks (27), Kalli Wiker (21), Tayler Breckenridge (28) and Jayla Julmist (30) celebrate a point in the Wolves’ Oct. 11 match-up with North Kitsap. Sequim Gazette photo by Matthew Nash

Sequim players Bobbi Sparks (27), Kalli Wiker (21), Tayler Breckenridge (28) and Jayla Julmist (30) celebrate a point in the Wolves’ Oct. 11 match-up with North Kitsap. Sequim Gazette photo by Matthew Nash Sequim players Bobbi Sparks (27), Kalli Wiker (21), Tayler Breckenridge (28) and Jayla Julmist (30) celebrate a point in the Wolves’ Oct. 11 match-up with North Kitsap. Sequim Gazette photo by Matthew Nash