La Conner volleyball team beats bigger schools

The two-time defending state champion La Conner High School volleyball team took a break from NW2B play last week for matches against teams from larger enrollment schools.

And the Lady Braves showed they clearly weren’t out of their league.

The team, which had not lost a single set to open the 2021 campaign, defeated 4A Glacier Peak 3-1 in a key road test on Thursday, then placed third overall Saturday among 17 larger school entrants at the Capital City Invitational Tournament in Olympia.

“It was so great for us to compete against larger schools,” head coach Suzanne Marble, whose team had been limited to conference matches in the spring, told the Weekly News Sunday. “We played solid from start to finish and I am really pleased with our progress.”

At Glacier Peak, La Conner improved its overall fall season mark to 9-0, with a hard-fought 25-17, 23-25, 25-17, 26-24 triumph.

La Conner’s roster depth proved the difference as eight players logged key stats.

Ellie Marble paced the victors with 26 kills, 22 digs and a pair of service aces.

Sarah Cook contributed 12 kills, nine digs and an assist while Morgan Huizenga added four kills and nine digs.

Makayla Herrera matched Huizenga with four kills and further covered the net with a team-best seven solo blocks. She also delivered an ace.

Emma Keller ignited the attack with 46 assists to go along with 11 digs, three aces and a kill.

Libero Rachel Cram posted a team-high 18 digs and assisted on five scores.

Josie Harper had two kills and Aubrie Sloniker recorded five digs to round out the effort.

The team barely had time to rest on its laurels. The team was back in action less than 48 hours later in Olympia, where La Conner defeated Montesano and North Thurston and split two sets with Ridgefield in pool play.

Advancing to the tourney’s Gold Bracket, La Conner downed Kelso 25-19, 25-23 before falling 18-25, 21-25 to Auburn Riverside.

“This,” coach Marble said afterward, “was a great mid-season tournament. I’m proud of the way the girls played together.”

Her players again filled the stat sheet in Olympia.

Ellie Marble had 58 kills, 76 digs, went 32 of 32 serving with two aces and finished with a flawless 48 of 48 serve receive line.

Keller notched 94 assists, 24 digs and four aces.

Cram accounted for 53 digs and five aces.

Cook provided 26 kills, 51 digs and was a perfect 40 of 40 from the service stripe.

Huizenga had 27 digs, six kills and five aces.

Herrera blasted 26 kills, served six aces, had 14 digs and added eight blocks.

La Conner (7-0 in NW2B action) returned to its conference schedule yesterday (Tuesday) with a matinee match at Friday Harbor. The team returns to Landy James Gym tonight for a 6:30 p.m. non-league clash with 1A Lynden Christian before hosting NW2B rival Concrete Thursday in another 6:30 p.m. start.