JDHS spikes Ketchikan in series opener Friday
- Klas Stolpe
- Oct 18
- 4 min read
Crimson Bears and Kings return to court Saturday
By Klas Stolpe
Juneau Independent
Big swings and long rallies were the norm on Friday at the George Houston Gymnasium court as the Juneau-Douglas High School: Yadaa.at Kalé volleyball team outlasted visiting Ketchikan 3-1 (18-25, 25-16, 25-22, 25-19)
Ketchikan came ready to play, winning the first game 25-18.
“They sure did,” JDHS coach Jody Levernier said. “They sure were ready. We changed the line up a little bit after the first set. I don’t know if that was it or not but we were just trying to find what was working on the court and we won the second set and we stuck with that the rest of the time.”
Ketchikan got nine scoring hits from senior Chelsey Weber in the opening game and another four from classmate Kylie Brendible.
JDHS sophomore Ruby Koski scored on a block and two kills in the first game while seniors Braith Dihle, Lavinia Ma’ake and Gwen Nizich totaled six.
“I was really excited,” Koski said. “I was kind of scared because we have been tying a lot but it was fun. It was a lot of good rallies.”
Koski said key for the win was, “Just good communication and just working together.”
The opening set loss awoke the Crimson Bears but they would have their paws full of Kings’ shots as both sides peppered the net with kills, dinks and push shots.
The second game would be tied six times before JDHS opened a 16-10 lead behind a kill by Koski and a service ace by Ma’ake. Junior June Troxel would follow with a string of four service points including three aces and the Crimson Bears would cruise into the win with senior Braith Dihle serving two aces for the 25-16 win.
Game three saw JDHS open a 9-1 lead that included three Dihle kills, a block and tip by sophomore Nellie Stowers, a kill by Nizich and an ace by junior Liliane Veikoso.
JDHS would open a 14-6 lead only to see Kayhi battle back behind some steady rally hits that forced the Crimson Bears into errors. The Kings pulled to 15-13 on a kill by junior Mariah Colbert.
Koski put JDHS ahead 16-13 on a kill shot but Kayhi scored on a Crimson Bears mishit and an ace by junior Winter Loretan.
After a kill by JDHS’ Nizich a service error gave possession back to Kayhi and senior Payton Hagan served to an 18-17 lead that included an ace and a kill by Weber.
JDHS regained possession on a Kayhi mishit. A double block by JDHS’ Stowers and Nizich and a Kayhi mishit pushed the lead to 20-18.
The two sides would tie the score three times with Kayhi’s Weber earning a 22-21 lead on a kill and JDHS’ Nizich thundering a spike for 22-22 service possession. JDHS junior Leila Cooper served out the game for the 25-22 win.
Game four saw three early ties before JDHS earned possession on a Kayhi mishit and Ma’ake served to 10-5 behind a Troxel kill, an ace, and a Troxel block. The sides would exchange multiple point rallies that saw JDHS take leads of 12-7, 13-8, 13-12, 15-13, 18-13 and 18-16 before the Crimson Bears’ Ma’ake killed a shot for 19-16. JDHS junior Leila Cooper served to 22-16 which included a block by Veikoso and a kill by Ma’ake.
After three points from Kayhi on a JDHS mishit, a kill by junior Avah Bittle, and an ace by Loretan the Kings gave up service.
JDHS’ Ma’ake served out the match with two hard shots over the net that Kayhi returned but Koski blocked one for set point and killed the next for the match.
Said Koski, “I feel like I have been doing better since the beginning of the season for sure.”
Kayhi has also shown they are much improved.
“It means that my girls have to start working harder,” Levernier said. “Harder, harder, harder.”
The two sides square off again Saturday. The C teams play at 4:15 p.m., the Junior Varsity at 5:45 p.m. and the Varsity at 7:15 p.m.
• Contact Klas Stolpe at klas.stolpe@gmail.com.
