Colfax V- netters advance after tougher Reardan test

Last round of the 2B regional volleyball rounds at West Valley featured another clash between Colfax and Reardan. The championship battle was round three for the two NE teams in this year’s campaign.

Colfax won the regional title in a battle at WV that went down to the final points in the fourth game.

“They’re getting better,” Coach Sue Doering commented on the opponents. She noted after the West Valley match, the Bulldogs have a better idea of what Readan’s team can do.

Both Colfax and Reardan will depart for the State 2B version of the state volleyball tournament in Yakima’s SunDome.

First Colfax match will be at 11:30 Friday morning in Yakima’s SunDome which will also host the 1B and A division finals for the WIAA.

Coach Doering cautions the 2012 edition of the state finals doesn’t carry a guarantee that the two NE league foes will again wind up facing each other in the 2B title game.

One of the other top entries will be Bear Creek which is at the bottom of the Colfax bracket.

Reardan and Davenport are in the tournament’s bottom bracket which also has Pe Ell, also projected to be another contender. LaConner, a perennial contender, is also in the bracket, although the Braves have a team made up of younger players this year.

This year’s entry will be the 23rd for the Bulldogs under Doering. She notes the locals have placed fourth or better since 1995 with most of those years in the A division.

Saturday at West Valley, Colfax and Reardan faced off in the Saturday night title match after winning their openers and the semi-final rounds.

Colfax started the tourney in the top spot after sweeping the NE qualifiers last week at Davenport. In the first round Friday the Bulldogs swept the Lind/Ritzville/Broncos in three games, 25-12 25-9 and 25-13 and 21-2 after sweeping the NE playoffs last week at Davenport.

The Bulldogs went up against Davenport in the semi-final round and took the first two games, 25-16 and 25-10. Coach Doering opted to activate her bench and the Gorilla girls answered the challenge with a 25-23 battle in game three.

The Bulldogs put their power unit back on the floor and took game four 25-14 to advance the title battle with Reardan.

The defending state champs dropped Colfax 21-25 in the opener, but Colfax came back 25-12 in the next round to tie the match at 1-1.

Colfax battled for wins in the last two games to take the title match. Reardan chipped a lead in game three until Sidney Huber ran a string of serve points to break out a 12-11 Colfax edge. The two league foes tied the score five times before Colfax pegged a 25-23 win with Reardan booking three errors.

That put at 2-1 with Reardan taking a 21-20 edge in game four before Colfax bounced back to a 23-23 tie. It locked up again at 24-24 and 25-25 with Nicole Sheer, Amara Huber, and Taylor Larsen rapping kills down the stretch for a 27-25 win.

Taylor Lange hit 22-22 serves against Reardan with three acres. Sheer sank 17 kills against the chiefs.

Tourney statistics: Amelie Bruya, 98 assists, 4 kills, 4 blocks, 40-42 serving with 10 aces; Tayloar Larsen 43 kills, 8 blocks, 33-36 serving with 4 aces; Nicole Sheer, 38 kills, 5 blocks; Amara Huber, 26 kills, 43-48 serving with 5 aces, 27 digs; Kindra Kneale, 11 kills, 5 blocks, 30-34 serving; Sidney Huber-11 kills, 39-41 with 8 aces, 21 digs; DeAnna Aeschliman, 3 kills, 3 blocks, 16-16 serving w/ ace; Rachel Robinson, 30-32 serving with 5 aces, 22 digs; Kori Goodwin, 6 assists, 3-4 serving; Leah Heiner 1 assist, 9-11 serving with 3 aces; Cassie Vorderebrueggen, 28 digs.