Volleyball 2010-10-14 vs Shorewood

With just 4 matches left in the 2010 season, the OHHS volleyball team is still in the playoff hunt. Sitting at 3-3 with just 4 matches left, the girls are in good shape. Two of the remaining matches are against the bottom two teams in the conference, Mountlake Terrace (1-5) and Lynnwood (2-4). The other two are at #2 Everett and Glacier Peak, with whom the Wildcats are currently tied.

The cause wasn't helped much Thursday night in the match against the Shorewood Thunderbirds. In the first game, the Wildcats jumped out to a 6-1 lead, but Shorewood fought back and tied the game at 16 then went on to build a 24-19 lead. Oak Harbor wasn't out yet, as kills by Roshel Muzzal and Janessa Ramos along with a great block by Ramos brought the Wildcats to within 1, 23-24 when a T-bird kill ended the first match 23-25.

Oak Harbor woke up halfway through game 2. Down 3-10, the girls came roaring back behind a nice overpass kill by Freshman Kayleigh Harper and a pair of back-to-back kill by Ramos. Two kills by "Big Blue" Amanda Blau brought Oak Harbor to within 1 point, 12-13, and from there it was all OH. Harper had multiple blocks during one rally which ended with game point for the Wildcats and a T-bird in the net gave game 2 to OH 25-17.

Game 3 was a close, back-and-forth game with no more than 3 points separating the two teams until late in the match when Shorewood was able to put the game away 25-20.

Down 2-1 in the match, the Wildcats needed to win game 4 and they did, but it wasn't easy. After moving out to a 4-0 early lead, Shorewood crept back and tied the game at 9, but never led and a solo block by Kristine Bouchard, and dink kill by Mandy Kepner and final kill by Ramos won the game for the Wildcats 25-19.

The girls led early in the 5th and final game, 3-1, but Shorewood stayed with the 'Cats and slowly pulled away to win the game 15-10 and the match 3-2. The final game featured an exceptionally long rally, lasting nearly a full minute (most volleyball action is over in about 10 seconds).

On Saturday, the varsity team was at Mt. Vernon high school for an all-day tournament. The Wildcats, missing senior setter Jordan Faralan who was at the University of Washington for academic work, finished 3rd in pool play then went on to win the silver division. Sophomore Taylor Nienhuis stepped up to take setting duties and Freshman Kayleigh Harper had a lot of playing time.

Video highlights from the varsity match, including 2 clips from the Freshman match, are posted HERE.

40 JV photos are posted HERE

HERE are 69 varsity photos

29 Mt. Vernon Tourney photo are HERE