by MICHAEL DASHIELL

Sequim Gazette

Sequim’s volleyball squad hasn’t produced back-to-back state volleyball berths since the mid-1980s.

A pair of key Olympic League losses didn’t help the Wolves’ efforts to break that streak.

Sequim dropped a pair of four-set matches to rivals Port Angeles and Olympic, dropping into fourth place in the league with one match remaining — results of Sequim’s final match of the regular season, an Oct. 25 home date versus Klahowya, were unavailable at press time.

The Wolves will have the league’s No. 4 seed heading into the bi-district tournament this week.

The West Central District tourney is scheduled for Nov. 4-5 in Tacoma.

Sequim qualified for the 1985 and 1986 class 3A state tourneys.

Last season, Sequim advanced to the Class 2A state tourney before getting eliminated in two matches.

Roughriders tip Wolves in four sets

The one thing Sequim cannot do, Jennie Webber Heilman says, is let Port Angeles’ Roughriders get extended runs.

“What happens? Eight, nine, 11 points,” the Wolves’ coach said, following a four-set loss to the Roughriders on Oct. 19.

Port Angeles got big kills from Kiah Jones and solid defense from a senior-laden squad as they topped Sequim 25-23, 25-16, 24-26 and 25-22.

“Our kids are not happy we lost,” Webber Heilman said. “(We had) errors we should not have made.”

Indicative of the match was the third game. Behind strong hitting from Haleigh Harrison and Alexas Besand, the Wolves matched Port Angeles hit for hit as they battled to a 15-15 stalemate. But with senior setter Emily Drake at the service line, Port Angeles ran off four consecutive points, with Jones getting three kills.

A minute later, the Riders finished off the Wolves with a 10-1 run.

”Our serving was very strong,” Port Angeles coach Christine Halberg said. “Haleigh (Harrison) is going to get her kills and, she did, but we stayed very consistent.”

Halberg credited the fact that many of her seniors have played together for several years, including club teams, for their consistency.

“We keep unforced errors down (and) capitalize when Kiah is in the front row.”

Despite a spirited third and fourth sets, Sequim dropped out of contention for the league title while Port Angeles remained undefeated and looking ahead to an Oct. 25 match-up with undefeated (and No. 8-ranked) North Kitsap. Results of that match were unavailable at press time.

Reach Michael Dashiell at miked@sequimgazette.com.