Braves exit state volleyball tourney after first round

Fate served up tough luck for the La Conner High School volleyball team at the Yakima SunDome last week.

First, head coach Pam Keller’s charges drew top-seeded Adna in first round state 2B tournament action.

Perhaps equally brutal was La Conner libero Addison Keller playing under the weather for Wednesday’s matches with the Pirates and Tri-Cities Prep.

Still, La Conner battled. The NW2B/1B runners-up pushed Adna, which arrived in Yakima riding an 18-game winning streak, in a hard-fought opening set.

But Adna, which finished 22-3 on the season, including a two-match season split with title winner Manson, posted a double-digit win in the second set before staving off La Conner in the clinching third frame.

The 3-0 line score was 25-19, 25-15, 25-18.

In the consolation round, La Conner (15-13) lost in straight sets to Tri-Cities Prep, 25-8, 25-12, 25-23.

Despite the twin setbacks, coach Keller praised her club’s work ethic afterward.

“The girls gave a great effort in the first match with Adna,” she told the Weekly News. “I’m very proud of this team and the perseverance they’ve shown this season.”

Junior Maeve McCormick and freshman Abi Poulton led the La Conner attack against Adna with five kills each. Freshmen Nora McCormick (4) and Reese Bird (2) combined for a half-dozen kills.

Eighth-grader Mia Delage added a kill in her state tourney debut.

Addison Wigal, La Conner’s lone senior, delivered a pair of service aces in the Adna match. Nora McCormick also recorded two aces, while Bird notched a service whiff.

Bird (8) and Poulton (4) teamed to fuel the La Conner offense with 12 assists.

Defensively, eight La Conner players extended rallies with digs. Maeve McCormick (13) and Nora McCormick (10) reached double figures, followed by Keller (9), Bird (4), Poulton (4), Wigal (4), Delage (4) and Aaliyah Gonzalez (2).

Keller, who earlier this year earned state Athlete of the Week honors, managed nine digs against Adna while not being at full strength.

“Unfortunately, our libero was ill during the state tournament,” coach Keller said, “so not having her at her best was a bummer. But Mia really stepped up and showed a lot of grit at her first state tournament. Maeve McCormick and Addie Wigal gave it their all in the final match against Tri-Cities.”

Tri-Cities Prep was eliminated from trophy consideration with a 3-2 loss to Colfax on Thursday.

La Conner’s NW2B/1B rival Coupeville placed fourth at state, splitting four matches. Coupeville (19-3-1) defeated Tonasket 3-0 and Mossyrock 3-1 before dropping 3-0 verdicts to Adna and Freeman.