Fans’ cheers boomed from the sidelines, echoing across the gymnasium as the names of girls on Central Kitsap High School’s varsity volleyball team were called. Forming a line on each side of the net, players from CKHS and Mount Tahoma High School high fived, wishing luck upon each other before the match.
On Oct. 27, the girls volleyball team congregated in the main gym to face off against MTHS, where Nilani Butler (#3) started the game with a strong serve down the court. After Central Kitsap gained five points back-to-back, Mount Tahoma responded, scoring three consecutive times until Ashlyn Manchester (#13) and Penelope Holyoak (#7) scored, resulting in a timeout from the T-Birds. With the score 8-3 CK, Holyoak (#7) continued the game with two serves, giving CK the opportunity for two more points until MT scored again.
“Our two outsides, [Holyoak] and Alaina [Wright], did a really good job of adjusting to their setters,” Varsity Head Coach Katie Pasi said. “So they had some really good hits on the outside and running quick goes on the outside.”
The first set ended 25-10, making the score 1-0 CK. The first point of the rally was scored by Silei Pasi (#14) after MT’s serve, followed by four more points before the T-Birds countered with their first score of the set. After six combined scores were made, MT took their third timeout of the game, pausing with 10-2 till Manchester (#13) started the set again after the break.
“Today I did well, bringing my teammates up and keeping a positive environment, and my serving was pretty good today,” junior Elliana Smith (#9) said.
After ending the second set with a final score of 27-11, they continued on into the third set 2-0 CK, with Smith (#9) making the first serve. Once MT took their sixth and final timeout of the game, Liah Lauifi (#5) opened things back up for CK, where Sydney Lingenbrink (#10) spiked the ball, advancing the score 19-5. Four plays after, Smith (#9) set the ball for Lingenbrink (#10), who scored with a strike, and just three plays later, CK had solidified their win for the set, 25-6, ending the match 3-0.
“I think our overall goal is to be the best versions of ourselves that we can be, and to always be there to lift each other up and support each other,” Lauifi (#5) said.
