Prep Volleyball Roundup: Montesano, Willapa Valley bow out of state volleyball tournaments

Bulldogs fall to state’s top team Chelan and No. 8 King’s; Vikings downed by DeSales in five sets

By Ryan Sparks • November 12, 2023 4:00 am
PHOTO BY FOREST WORGUM Montesano’s Kaila Hatton attempts a kill during the 1A WIAA State Volleyball Tournament on Friday at the Yakima Valley SunDome.
PHOTO BY FOREST WORGUM Montesano’s Kaila Hatton attempts a kill during the 1A WIAA State Volleyball Tournament on Friday at the Yakima Valley SunDome.

Montesano and Willapa Valley volleyball teams competed in their respective WIAA State Volleyball Tournaments at the Yakima Valley SunDome this past week.

PHOTO BY FOREST WORGUM Montesano’s Karissa Otterstetter attempts to block a kill attempt by Chelan’s Lydia Petersen, left, during the 1A WIAA State Volleyball Tournament on Friday at the Yakima Valley SunDome.

PHOTO BY FOREST WORGUM Montesano’s Karissa Otterstetter attempts to block a kill attempt by Chelan’s Lydia Petersen, left, during the 1A WIAA State Volleyball Tournament on Friday at the Yakima Valley SunDome.

1A State Tournament

First round

Chelan 3, Montesano 0

Montesano had a tough draw in its first-round game of the 1A State Tournament, falling to No. 1 Chelan in straight sets on Friday at the Yakima Valley SunDome.

Monte (13-9 overall) struggled against the eventual state-champion Mountain Goats (17-2) in the 25-9, 25-12 and 25-15 loss.

“Playing the No. 1 seed the first match of the tournament was a bit tough. Chelan is a very good team and I think the girls went into it a bit intimidated,” Montesano head coach Cindy Wecker said. “We improved each set but we struggled passing the ball and defending their hitters.”

Monte was led by sophomore libero Bentley Warne (13 digs), junior setter Karissa Otterstetter (7-8 service, 2 digs, block, 12 assists) and junior middle blocker Kylee Wisdom (4-5 service, dig, 6 kills, 4 blocks).

With the loss, Monte played in an elimination game later Friday afternoon.

Montesano 9 12 15 – 0

Chelan 25 25 25 – 3

Leading players: Montesano – Warne (13 digs); Robinson (5-5 service, 12 digs, kill, 3 blocks); Otterstetter (7-8 service, 2 digs, block, 12 assists); Gooding (8-8 service, ace, 2 digs); Wallace (dig); Wisdom (4-5 service, dig, 6 kills, 4 blocks); Hatton (7-7 service, 5 digs, 5 kills, block); Dalan (3-3 service, 2 digs, kill, 3 blocks).

PHOTO BY FOREST WORGUM Montesano’s Bentley Warne, right, receives a serve during the 1A WIAA State Volleyball Tournament on Friday at the Yakima Valley SunDome.

PHOTO BY FOREST WORGUM Montesano’s Bentley Warne, right, receives a serve during the 1A WIAA State Volleyball Tournament on Friday at the Yakima Valley SunDome.

Elimination game

King’s 3, Montesano 0

Montesano’s season ended with a 3-0 loss to King’s in an elimination game on Friday at the 1A State Tournament in Yakima.

The sixteenth-seeded Bulldogs fell to the No. 8 Knights (20-4) 25-13, 25-21 and 27-25.

“We played better against King’s. The nerves were a little more settled and we were able to put down a few more kills. We hung right in there and the girls battled hard,” Montesano head coach Cindy Wecker said. “I am sad to see our season come to an end but also excited for next year all at the same time. I am proud of how far this team has come.”

Monte’s Karissa Otterstetter led the Bulldogs with 23 digs and 15 assists and was a perfect 13-for-13 from the service line.

Liv Robinson (17-17 service, 10 digs), Kylee Wisdom (8 kills) and Kaila Hatton (8 kills) also had solid games for the Bulldogs.

PHOTO BY FOREST WORGUM Montesano’s Liv Robinson makes a pass during the 1A WIAA State Volleyball Tournament on Friday at the Yakima Valley SunDome.

PHOTO BY FOREST WORGUM Montesano’s Liv Robinson makes a pass during the 1A WIAA State Volleyball Tournament on Friday at the Yakima Valley SunDome.

King’s 25 25 27 – 3

Montesano 13 21 25 – 0

Leading players: Montesano – Warne (11 digs); Robinson (17-17 service, ace, 10 digs, 2 kills, block); Otterstetter (13-13 service, 23 digs, 4 kills, block, 15 assists); Gooding (11-12 service, ace, dig); Wallace (6 digs, assist); Wisdom (7-7 service, ace, 2 digs, 8 kills, block); Hatton (5-5 service, 8 digs, 8 kills, assist); Dalan (7-8 service, 2 aces, 4 digs, kill, 3 blocks).

1B State Tournament

DeSales 3, Willapa Valley 2

Willapa Valley’s season ended with a 3-2 loss in a seeding play-in game against DeSales at the 1B State Tournament on Wednesday at the Yakima Valley SunDome.

The No. 17 Vikings (13-9) led 2-1 but failed to close out the final set in a 25-17, 15-25, 25-22, 25-27 and 13-15 loss to the No. 16 Irish (15-6).

“As a young team, just being in that experience in the SunDome, it’s a lot to take in,” Willapa Valley head coach Chelsea Kempton said. “We had prepared for what DeSales had looked like, watching film and seeing how they set up and played. … We had a lot of momentum throughout the match. … We adjusted well after the second set, being more aggressive at the net.”

Willapa Valley held a 7-1 lead in the fifth and final set, but started “playing safe” according to Kempton, which led to the loss.

“We sent a few balls over that made it too easy for them to return and set up,” Kempton said. “It’s a hard lesson to learn but regardless, it’s a lesson learned and we’ll turn that around and use that as an experience for next year.”

Kempton added that her team – which consisted of eight sophomores and four juniors – is excited to be returning its entire roster that now has state-tournament experience.

“Being so close to closing out that match and not being able to secure that win to advance was heartbreaking for sure. It’s going to sting a little bit, but we’ll focus on the fact that we overcame so many difficult opponents to get to where we were in the state playoffs,” she said. “We accomplished what we wanted to and I’m really proud of each of the girls for deciding they wanted more out of the season and committed to giving 100%.”

Willapa Valley 25 15 25 25 13 – 2

DeSales 17 25 22 27 15 – 3

Leading players: WV – Hurley (9 kills, block, 3 aces); Channell (5 kills, 15 digs); Hodel (5 kills, ace, 12 digs); Borden (2 kills, 2 blocks); Matlock (kill, block, 5 aces, 13 digs, 19 assists); Sheary (kill, 2 aces, 17 digs, 11 assists); Barnum (kill, ace); Neva (2 aces, 30 digs).