JDHS spikers trick, then treat visiting Sitka volleyballers
- Klas Stolpe
- Oct 31
- 3 min read
Crimson Bears scare Wolves on Halloween night match
By Klas Stolpe
Juneau Independent
The Juneau-Douglas High School: Yadaa.at Kalé volleyball team let the visiting Sitka Wolves hang around the George Houston Gymnasium on a Friday Halloween evening match, then closed the door in a 3-0 (26-24, 25-21, 25-15) sweep.
JDHS senior Gwen Nizich led the Crimson Bears with eight kills, and seniors Neela Thomas, Lavinia Ma’ake and Braith Dihle added additional scoring punch at the net.
JDHS senior Cambry Lockhart served four aces, junior June Troxel three, senior Braith Dihle and junior Leila Cooper two apiece, and sophomore Ruby Koski one.
Sitka sophomore Kailee Brady led the Wolves with eight power scores at the net while seniors Ally Mayville, Alina Lehman and Sadie Saline and freshman Addie Marx also provided scores via blocks or tips.
Sitka’s Mayville and Saline had two service aces, Lehban and junior Jeega Anguilla one apiece.
The two sides exchanged runs through set one, never leading by more than five points until JDHS won possession for a 14-12 lead and Dihle served to 18-12 which included a kill by Ma’ake and an ace.
Sitka’s Marx killed for possession and the Wolves pulled to 18-14 until JDHS junior Liliane Veikoso killed for possession. A service error returned the ball back to the visitors and the Wolves junior Vada West served to a 19-19 tie which included three scoring kills by Brady.
A mishit gave JDHS possession and Cooper served an ace for a 21-19 lead. After a service error JDHS senior Natalia Harris killed for possession and a 22-20 lead and Ma’ake served to 23-20.
A service error gave Sitka’s Moore service to tie the score at 23-23, including a kill by Saline.
A kill by Dihle put JDHS up 24-23, but Sitka’s Mayville killed for 24-24.
Dihle killed a shot down the line for 25-24, and Veikoso put a serve over that was returned and volleyed, but Sitka mishit and fell 26-24.
Set two included six ties, the last coming at 20-20 as Sitka’s West served from 20-18 with a kill by Marx and two JDHS mishits.
A service error gave JDHS a 21-20 lead and Nizich served to 22-20, but an error moved Sitka closer at 22-21.
The Wolves lost service on an error and Troxel served out the game with Dihle killing game point 25-21.
JDHS never trailed in set three, took a 6-1 lead, an 8-6 lead, a 13-7 lead and kept picking their way across the court to an 18-11 advantage on a kill by Ma’ake.
After an exchange of possessions JDHS’ Troxel served two aces for a 21-12 lead.
Sitka sophomore Bella Jones killed for possession and Lehban served an ace to pull to 21-14.
A kill by JDHS’ Ma’ake earned 22-14 but an error gave Sitka a point.
JDHS’ Dihle killed for possession and Lockhart served two aces for the match 25-15.
The two sides will face off again Saturday following the JDHS senior appreciation honors at 5 p.m.
• Contact Klas Stolpe at klas.stolpe@gmail.com.
