The Cheney High volleyball team finished a rollercoaster of a year by competing at the Great Northern League (GNL) district playoffs, Nov. 1, at East Valley High School.
The Blackhawks defeated Clarkston, 3-2 in the first round then lost to Pullman in the second round, 3-1.
Prior to districts, Cheney defeated Pullman, 3-2, Oct. 28, to win their final match of the season. The set scores were 25-15, 24-26, 25-20, 8-25 and 15-12.
Senior Katelynn Smedley had 14 kills and 11 digs. Junior Rylie Pease recorded 10 kills and four aces. First-year head coach Courtney Webb said beating Pullman, who sat in second-place in the GNL rankings for most of the season, gave her team the confidence going into districts.
“They finally saw they are a worthy team and can be competitive with anyone in the league,” Webb said.
Cheney once again played a back-and-forth match against Clarkston in the first round of districts. The set scores were 25-15, 24-26, 25-21, 21-25 and 15-12. Pease had 11 kills and senior Robyn Ross recorded 14 digs.
Webb said her team didn’t know what to expect when they faced the Bantams.
“It’s been a few weeks since we played them, but we pulled through in the end,” Webb said. “I’m proud of the girls. They played a consistent match all the way through.”
Less than two hours after their win over Clarkston, Cheney played Pullman in another close match. The set scores were 25-17, 18-25, 25-17 and 25-16.
The Blackhawks came out strong, however fatigue began to set in during the later games. Sophomore Taylor Gould led her team with eight kills.
“At that point they already got a lot of playing time (against Clarkston) and it started to wear on the girls,” Webb said.
East Valley and Pullman, who took the top two spots in the district tournament, will compete in regionals, Nov. 8.
Despite not going on to regionals, three Cheney players received postseason honors. Pease, Gould and senior Kimber Case were selected for the all-league second team.
“Kimber worked so hard this season, she deserved the nomination,” Webb said. “It was great to see Taylor and Rylie get the nomination, especially for being young players.”
In addition to her players receiving accolades, Webb was named the GNL volleyball Coach of the Year. Webb said she was excited and surprised she received the honor.
The Blackhawks had a rough start of the season, going 2-6 in their first eight matches. The momentum shifted later in season as they won four of their last five matches to finish third in the GNL with a 6-6 league record and 7-8 overall. Webb said there were several new players on varsity, as well as returning faces who did not have a lot of leadership experience. Over time, players adjusted to their roles and the team came together.
“As a coach that’s one of the most rewarding things to see,” Webb said. “I would rather have a team struggle in the beginning and end strongly than the other way around. I’m happy with how they progressed.”
Cheney loses six seniors to graduation: Case, Smedley, Katie McGourin, Kayla Lemelin, Robyn Ross and Nakita Knox. Webb said a lot of returning players will play club volleyball during the offseason.
“I’m going to have to wait until the summer to coach them again, but I’m looking forward to the future,” Webb said. “I’m excited to see how these players improve in the next year.”
Al Stover can be reached at [email protected].
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