The Blaine volleyball team dropped its last home match of the year in straight sets to Meridian Monday night, the second time the Trojans have bested Blaine this season. The Trojans improved their record to a perfect 7-0 against league opponents.
Still looking for its first win of the season, the Borderites will have one more chance on Tuesday when they travel to Nooksack Valley.
Blaine head coach KJ Assink said it’s Meridian's two outside hitters that make them such a tough opponent.
Assink said that she was impressed with Blaine’s fight though. Despite the Trojans taking a quick lead in each set, the Borderites battled.
Though the outcome wasn’t what the Borderites would have liked, there was reason to celebrate Monday.
Prior to the game, Blaine held its senior night ceremony. Outside hitter Livia Weeda is the only senior on the young Blaine squad.
Weeda had a great game with five kills and five digs. Blaine’s libero Caitlin Phelps-McDonald was busy with eight digs, and Rileyann Granstrom had seven assists (stats via WhatcomPreps.com).
Weeda said it’s been an honor to play for Blaine alongside her teammates.
“This program has meant a lot to me. The people, the coaches, the players — they’ve all fed into my life. It was just an honor,” Weeda said after the game.
Weeda made varsity as a sophomore and has been a pillar of Blaine’s volleyball program over the past few years.
Assink took over as a head coach the same year that Weeda made varsity, making Weeda the athlete Assink has coached the longest in Blaine.
Weeda has done a lot to help mentor the younger girls on the team, Assink said. As the team captain, Weeda has helped other athletes prepare to take over the leadership role next year.
“She embodies our culture,” Assink said. “Her competitiveness is off the charts.”
Weeda’s father, Andy Weeda, said that while watching the last few points of the match, he became emotional. It didn’t set in until the tailend of the match that those would be the last points she played on Blaine’s home court.
“It was just a joy and an honor to see her one last time on her home court,” Andy Weeda said.
The Weeda family has spent a lot of time watching Livia compete in that gym, he said, and he’s been proud to see her grow over the years — both literally and figuratively.
“She’s grown in stature, she’s grown in poise, and her heart has grown,” Andy said.
Perhaps the most significant play of the night was not made during the game, but after.
Once most of the gym had already cleared out, Andy stepped onto the court with Livia.
With all the Borderites gathered around to watch, Andy was tossed a ball.
He set it, floating it just above the net. Livia approached, jumped, swung her arm — and for the last time — she spiked the ball down onto her home court.
