4A volleyball consolation: Emerald Ridge captures fourth

EVERETT — Heritage of Vancouver has treated the Emerald Ridge volleyball team so harshly the last two years that it isn't even funny.

But the seventh-ranked Jaguars of Puyallup got the last laugh yesterday with a 25-17, 25-23, 16-25, 25-13 win over No. 4 Heritage in the fourth-place game of the Class 4A state tournament at the Everett Events Center.

The victory by Emerald Ridge (28-9) avenged losses to the Timberwolves in the quarterfinals of last year's state tournament and in the semifinals of last week's bi-district tournament, which Heritage (32-4) went on to win.

"We just had to beat that team," Emerald Ridge senior setter Mikela Kiely said after notching 41 assists to help the Jaguars to a state trophy for the fourth straight season. "It feels so good."

In the early afternoon semifinals, Mead swept Greater Spokane League rival Gonzaga Prep 25-22, 25-16, 25-21 and Eisenhower cruised past third-ranked University of Spokane 25-20, 26-24, 25-22 to advance to the final.

Gonzaga Prep came back to take third place with a 25-23, 25-21, 25-22 win over University, which finished sixth.

Eighth-ranked Spanaway Lake took fifth place with a 25-13, 22-25, 25-23, 25-19 win over Kentwood, which placed eighth to pick up the final state trophy.

Emerald Ridge was led, as usual, by the hitting exploits of 5-foot-11 junior outside hitter Kylie Marshall. Marshall had 28 kills, two blocks and two aces as the Jaguars snapped their personal skid against Heritage.

"This feels great," said Marshall, a member of the U.S. Youth National Team. "Our team came through in the clutch, which we hadn't done before."

Third-sixth place

Gonzaga Prep 3, University 0

Bullpups coach Lisa Phillips was expecting, but wasn't expecting this. Phillips, due to deliver her first child in three weeks, looked on as unranked Gonzaga Prep (24-9) provided the Cinderella story of the tournament with a convincing sweep of third-ranked Spokane rival University (25-5).

Gonzaga Prep won 25-23, 25-21, 25-22.

It was the Bullpups' first win in three tries over the Panthers, the regular-season GSL champion.

Senior middle blocker Kelly Mastor had 15 kills, three blocks and two aces for Gonzaga Prep (24-9), the fourth and final qualifier from the East Regional.

Fifth-eighth place

Spanaway Lake 3, Kentwood 1

Pendon, a 5-8 middle blocker headed for Washington State, had 16 kills and 7.5 blocks for the Sentinels (33-6) as they beat Kentwood 25-13, 22-25, 25-23, 25-19.

Oney, a 6-0 middle blocker who recently committed to Portland State, added 17 kills and 5.5 blocks.

The match featured a third Division I standout in 5-10 outside hitter Sarah Conwell of Kentwood (24-14), which went 0-3 in its last state-tournament appearance in 2002. The unranked Conquerors claimed a trophy this time despite qualifying as the seventh and final seed from the West Central-Southwest bi-district.