OLYMPIA, Wash. – Playing their best match of the young season, the Evergreen Geoducks couldn’t quite get past the visiting Lewis & Clark Pioneers, falling in straight sets in a non-conference volleyball match on Tuesday evening at CRC Gymnasium in Olympia, Wash.
In the first set, it looked like the Geoducks (0-3) might win their first set of the year as they built a 10-3 lead but the visiting Pios (3-2) went on a 9-3 run to get within one. Back in contention, L&C was able to wear down the short-handed Geoducks, taking the final three points to take the 25-22 set one victory. The Pios hit .355 on the set while the Geoducks threw down 16 kills en route to a .175 hitting percentage.
The Pios took the early lead in the second set but the Geoducks kept it close, pulling within one point about midway through. Lewis & Clark eventually began to stress the lead but the Geoducks pulled back within one at 23-22, forcing L&C to score the final two points under pressure as they collected the 25-22 set two win to take the 2-0 lead.
Following the break, Evergreen kept with their current theme of hitting best in the third set as the two teams exchanged points for much of the set. With the frame tied at 21-21, the Pios were able to go on a 4-1 run to clinch the match with yet another 25-22 set win.
Evergreen was led by a match-high 17 kills from Jasmine Horton (Seattle, Wash./Foster HS). Erin Mitchell (Santa Cruz, Calif./Mt. Madonna School) added 29 assists while Horton also led all players with 14 digs on the night. As a team, the Geoducks hit .157 on the night.
The Pioneers were led by 11 kills from Margaret Dowling as 13 different players got in the match for L&C. Leia Matsunaga came off the bench to put up 21 assists on the night while the Pios totaled 49 in a balanced defensive effort.
The Geoducks hit the road on Friday night as they head up to Kirkland, Wash. to take on Northwest in a Cascade Conference counter.
