Volleyball team two wins last week include 3A foe

The new-look La Conner High School volleyball team rekindled memories of the recent past during two impressive matches last week.

The net program, which has suffered heavy graduation losses in the wake of four straight state titles dating to 2018, flashed championship form with twin straight-sets triumphs over NW2B/1B rival Friday Harbor on the road and 3A Marysville-Getchell at home.

The team defeated M-G 3-0 on Oct. 17 in its annual Dig Pink Senior Night event at Landy James Gym.

Morgan Huizenga and Addison Keller fueled a comeback in the decisive third set against the Lady Chargers.

Huizenga recorded four kills and a block and Keller delivered four service aces as La Conner erased a 9-6 deficit with a 19-7 run to close out the match.

Maeve McCormick and Abi Poulton also produced key kills for the victors in the final frame.

Huizenga posted 11 kills and Keller was flawless on 26 service attempts with a half dozen aces.

Coach Pam Keller was equally excited about the evening’s fundraising, an effort that generated over $2,000 for breast cancer research, on a night when Huizenga and classmate Abi Udlock, the team’s senior setter, were honored for their contributions to Lady Braves volleyball.

Momentum from the triumph over Marysville-Getchell carried over two nights later in defeating Friday Harbor 3-0 (25-14, 25-9, 25-16) to improve to 10-6 overall and 7-0 in league tests.

Udlock ignited the attack with 26 assists and added two aces and a block. Huizenga posted a double-double with 12 kills and 25 digs. Keller, a sophomore libero-defensive specialist, chipped in 21 digs, four aces and two assists. Reese Bird rang up 10 kills as the team dominated on the front row throughout the match.

“It’s always a long day to travel out to the islands for one match,” coach Keller told the Weekly News afterward. “Morgan and Reese did a great job at the net moving their hits and tips around.

“Addison Keller,” she added, “was picking up tips and free balls well so that we could run our offense.”

La Conner visited archrival Coupeville last night. The Lady Wolves went undefeated in October but fell in five sets to La Conner here in late September.

La Conner returns to non-conference action tomorrow (Thursday) at Mount Vernon High School.