The Friday Harbor volleyball team notched win No. 3 at home last week with a three-game sweep of the lowly Concrete Lions, winless so far this season.
But dismantling Concrete for the second time this season offered little cause for celebration; the Wolverines tallied a victory despite a lackluster outing.
Friday Harbor improved to 3-8 in Northwest 1A/2B League competition with the win, matching last season’s record in league play.
Team captain Kelsie Carlton said the Wolverines gave away too many points and made too many errors to feel satisfied with the victory over the young Lions, who have one senior and one junior on an 11-player roster. They were lulled into a lackluster performance by the Lions’ deliberate and defensive style of play, Carlton said.
“We practice a real up-tempo type of game and we’ve had a lot of trouble with teams that don’t play that way,” she said. “It’s hard to keep pace.”
Humdrum perhaps, but the Wolverines prevailed nonetheless in three straight, 25-13, 25-21, 25-22. And that was without junior Kayla Short in the lineup.
The Wolverines wrapped up the regular season Tuesday at home against a dangerous Darrington squad (Visit sanjuanjournal.com for results). The Loggers (9-1), almost unbeaten in league, have been bested only by La Conner, which has yet to drop a single game so far this season.
Short and senior Meghan McCormick, both nursing ankle injuries, were questionable for the home finale, but are expected back in the lineup Saturday when Friday Harbor opens post-season play on the road against either Nooksack Valley or Lynden Christian.
Oct. 21
Mount Vernon Christian 3
Friday Harbor 2
On the road, up 2-1, the Wolverines appeared to have victory in hand.
But the Hurricanes had other ideas.
Mount Vernon Christian, boosted by a home crowd, rallied down the stretch and claimed the fourth game to send the match into a fifth and final bout. They overcame a 5-2 deficit and outscored the Wolverines 13-5 down the stretch to bag the finale and the match.
With the win, the Hurricanes spilt the season series and ended a 3-game skid against Friday Harbor dating back to last season. They prevailed 25-21, 16-25, 19-25, 25-20, 15-7.
Friday Harbor is 0-3 this season in matches that have gone to five games.
