The season just got longer — and that’s a good thing for Sequim’s young volleyball squad.

The Wolves split a pair of matches last week, and in the process locked up a top-four finish in the Olympic League and a berth in the West Central District playoffs.

Sequim started the week with a loss to league-leading North Kitsap, who remained perfect in league play by sweeping the Wolves 25-16, 25-21 and 25-18.

“We did not start well … down 9-2 before we started playing a little better,” Sequim coach Jennie Webber Heilman said. “We struggled with serve-receive off and on through the match.”

Sequim held a 10-5 lead in the second game before North went on a 20-11 run.

“North is a strong offensive team that challenged our defense,” Webber Heilman said.

Tayler Breckenridge and Arlene Law led Sequim with six kills each while Brittany Gale had 14 assists and libero Isabelle Dennis had a team-high 12 digs. Breckenridge had four of the Wolves’ nine aces.

Two days later, Sequim dominated the first two games and survived a third as they knocked off winless Port Angeles 25-12, 25-7 and 25-22.

“Everything (was working); our defense, our communication,” Dennis said.

Breckenridge led Sequim with team highs of nine kills, 16 digs and three aces. Law had eight kills and two aces, and Kalli Wiker fueled the offense with 20 assists. Gale was 19-of-20 serving with two aces and added 12 assists, 12 digs and four kills.

“Our offense was tough,” Webber Heilman said. “In the third game we tried a new lineup with Brittany (Gale) as an outside hitter and Kalli (Wiker) running a 5-1 — it took most of the game to get it figured out.”

Arlene Law, who as 9-of-9 serving with two aces, said a key for Sequim was their cohesiveness that helped the Wolves knock off the rival Roughriders.

“We had a few aces (but it was) really playing for each other,” she said.

Sequim was scheduled to host Bremerton at home on Oct. 23; results were not available at press time for this section.

Looking ahead

The Olympic League tournament is set for Saturday, Oct. 28, in Poulsbo, seeding the league’s top four teams for districts.

The 12-team district tournament is set for Nov. 3-4 at Franklin Pierce High School in Tacoma, with five teams advancing to the class 2A state meet, held Nov. 10-11 at St. Martin’s University in Lacey.

“Blocking and coming out strong (will be key),” Law said. “Sometimes we start with low energy.”

Last season, Sequim went 1-1 at the league tourney and took the No. 2 seed to districts. At districts, the Wolves went 3-1 and qualified for the state 2A tournament, where they won one of three matches.

It’s a happy Sequim squad after a three-game sweep of Port Angeles on Oct. 19. Pictured, from left, are Kalli Wiker, Lindsey Leader, Isabelle Dennis, Brittany Gale, Bobbi Sparks and Tayler Breckenridge. Sequim Gazette photo by Michael Dashiell