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In Mountlake Terrace High School’s 56-year history, the athletic department has never sent a volleyball team to a state tournament; this year the Terrace volleyball squad came within one game of changing that record.
After defeating the Liberty Patriots in a District 1/2 2A Volleyball Tournament loser-out match earlier in the day, the Mountlake Terrace Hawks pushed the district tourney’s no. 2 seed Burlington-Edison Tigers to a deciding fifth set in the district’s 3rd/4th place match on Saturday. But it was the Tigers who ultimately prevailed 3-2 (25-17, 22-25, 25-9, 23-25, 15-7) over the Hawks, claiming the district tourney’s final ticket to the 2A State Volleyball Tournament and ending Terrace’s 2016 season.
The Hawks finished the year with an overall record of 8-11 and a fourth place finish in their district tournament.
Terrace earned a spot in the district’s 3rd/4th place match by getting past a tough Liberty squad 3-1 (29-27, 25-21, 22-25, 25-19) in the first battle of the day at Mountlake Terrace High School.
After a short break it was back into the fray for Terrace to face the Tigers with a spot at the state tournament on the line. After splitting the first two sets, Hawk Coach Rene Noeun saw some nervousness settle in to her squad as their dropped the third set 25-9, then fell behind 20-15 in the fourth set, a potential match-winner for Burlington-Edison.
But Noeun felt her squad still had what it would take for a comeback.
“My team’s a fighter,” Noeun said. “It was nice to see them fight to the end.”
Noeun used a timeout to encourage her team to play with trust and spirit. “I just said they have to believe in themselves,” Noeun recalled of that timeout. “They play this game that they love and that little girl needs to come out. They can’t play to be cautious; and when they step back out on that court they can’t have any doubt.”
The Hawks responded by outscoring the Tigers 10-3 to win the fourth set 25-23. Play at the net by Emilie Roldan, Keeann Weatherby and Ricki Miller led Terrace to the come-from-behind set win.
But in the final set Terrace couldn’t revive their magic, Burlington-Edison took the momentum early, rode it to a 15-7 set victory and a 3-2 match win.
Even though the 2016 season ended with a loss, Noeun was very pleased with her squad’s overall performance for the year. “As a second-year head coach, I really can’t be disappointed,” she said. “It takes several years to build a program and I’m here for the long haul.”
“I’m proud, parents are proud, Stew (Mountlake Terrace Athletic Director Kim Stewart) is proud, this whole school’s proud,” Noeun added. “So I couldn’t ask for anything more.”
Noeun also saw some motivation for next year coming out of Terrace’s run and fourth place finish in the district tourney. “We got a taste of it, so now we know how much harder we need to work,” she concluded.
In action at the top of the District 1/2 2A Volleyball Tournament bracket, Archbishop Murphy defeated Bellingham 3-0 to claim the district championship; both ABM and Bellingham qualify for the 2A state tournament that begins on Nov. 11.
To view the final 2016 District 1/2 2A Volleyball Tournament bracket, click https://www.wescoathletics.com/tournament.php?tournament_id=1962&sport=10.
Prep Volleyball: Liberty vs. Mountlake Terrace, Nov. 5 (District 1/2 2A Volleyball Tournament loser out game)
Mountlake Terrace 3 — Liberty 1 (29-27, 25-21, 22-25, 25-19)
Records: Mountlake Terrace 8-10 overall; Liberty 8-11 overall
Prep Volleyball: Mountlake Terrace vs. Burlington-Edison, Nov. 5 (District 1/2 2A Volleyball Tournament 3rd/4th place game)
Burlington-Edison 3 — Mountlake Terrace 2 (25-17, 22-25, 25-9, 23-25, 15-7)
Records: Mountlake Terrace 8-11 overall; Burlington-Edison 13-5 overall
Mountlake Terrace next match: 2016 season completed
–By Doug Petrowski
The team was amazing in their play and spirit! Congratulations on going to districts this year. Looking forward to next!