Volleyball going to districts after 3-1 win

Ashley Dickerson (number 5) and Josie Deming make a block in a first-round playoff game against Sedro-Woolley on October 31. Photos by Oliver Lazenby.

By Oliver Lazenby

The Blaine girls varsity volleyball team’s post season started just like its regular season, with a match against Sedro-Woolley.

The Borderites played Sedro-Woolley twice in the regular season and beat them 3-0 both times, but Blaine expected a tough match in the October 31 playoff opener.

“We heard that Sedro-Woolley had really peaked during the season and we knew not to take them lightly,” said Blaine senior Camryn Vosloh. “They weren’t willing to let the ball drop. A few times when we thought the play was done they came back with a great dig.”

Blaine won in four sets and will advance to the next round of playoffs, but Sedro didn’t make it easy after 3-1 win, winning the second set 25-14. Blaine won the other sets by 25-13, 25-23 and 25-18. Blaine head coach Bryan Clausen said his team got complacent in the second set. Sedro-Woolley took advantage of that and their momentum carried through the set.

Blaine varsity volleyball celebrates a 3-1 victory against Sedro-Woolley in a playoff game on October 31.

Losing the second set didn’t faze the Borderites though, Vosloh said.

“We all felt like, ‘how dare we let that second set get away from us,’’’ she said. “We were even more motivated going into the third set. Our goal is to make it to state and we weren’t going to let one set get in the way of that.”

Sedro-Woolley kept up with Blaine through the third set, never trailing by more than five points and tying the score at 23 before Blaine won it. Blaine started strong in the fourth set and didn’t miss a single serve through it.

Vosloh had 13 kills, eight digs, three aces and two blocks in the match. Josie Deming got 12 kills, 14 digs and two blocks, and Kylah Wilskey had 40 assists, 10 digs and three aces.

Next, Blaine plays at 5 p.m. on Thursday, November 2, against Liberty High School in the district tournament at Sammamish High School. They’ll play a second game at 7 p.m. that night. The last time Blaine volleyball went to the district tournament it was a 1A school.