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PHOTO BY ROCKY ROSS

EASTWARD BOUND. Kali Johnson and Bellarmine Prep will be heading to the state tournament in Kennewick this weekend.

Bellarmine Prep volleyball team advances to state

By John Larson

Bellarmine Prep advanced to the 4A state volleyball tournament with a gutsy performance in the West Central District tournament Nov. 15. The Lions emerged from the consolation bracket with victories in two matches in the event, held at Kitsap Sun Pavilion in Bremerton, to secure a spot at state.

The Lions began their day with a contest with South Kitsap. Bellarmine ended the season for the Wolves by winning the match in three games, 25-8, 25-15, 25-19.

Later in the afternoon the Lions faced off against Kentlake, which had defeated Bethel in earlier action. The teams seemed evenly matched and the four games reflected this.

The lead swung back and forth in the first game, which Bellarmine won 25-23.

The Lions jumped out to an 8-2 lead in the second game, but the Falcons slowly clawed their way back. Marlayna Geary put Bellarmine up 15-11 with a devastating kill.

The score was tied at 17 when Bellarmine’s Stephanie Dowling tried to softly tap the ball over the net. Her shot was soundly rejected, a symbolic turning point in a game Kentlake seemed determined to win. Indeed, the Falcons maintained a close lead the rest of the way and won 25-22.

Dowling took the same type of shot in the third game when Bellarmine was down by one. This time it was successful and tied the game at 10.

The two teams continued to mix up finesse and power in the closely contested game. Dowling nailed the ball between two leaping Falcons at the net to put Bellarmine up 23-20. With the score tied at 25, the intensity went up another notch in the stands, with the Bellarmine faithful exhorting their team with chants of “Lion power!”

Kentlake took a slight lead several times but could not hold it. With the score tied at 27, a Falcon put too much on a hit that put the ball over the end line and the Lions up by one. Then a Kentlake volley resulted in the ball sailing into the stands. Michelle O’Brien spiked the ball for the final point in Bellarmine’s 30-28 victory.

Bellarmine built a slight lead in the fourth game and held it throughout for a 25-19 win. Highlights for the Lions included Geary hammering down one spike and slapping across another, and O’Brien hitting one with precision accuracy between two Falcons.

“We just traded points. The hard part is to hang on to the runs,” said head coach Jody DeGroot after the intensely competitive match. “We have been working on maintaining some calmness and composure.”

At 6 foot 1, Falcon Riley Butler posed some problems at the net for the Lions, whose tallest player is Karly Druzianich at 5 foot 11. “She was a challenge,” DeGroot said. “We do not have a lot of tall players in our league.”

Kali Johnson had 30 digs against the Falcons. Abena Bofa had 55 assists and 12 digs. Geary had a big game, finishing with 28 kills and 24 digs. O’Brien added 10 kills and 17 digs, while Dowling contributed 13 kills and 12 digs.

Next up for the Lions is a match with Skyview at 9 a.m. Nov. 21 at Toyota Center in Kennewick.

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