Pirates move to top of SE V-net race

Emily Schultheis hits past Jayden Corder in the five-game league match Thursday at Colton.

Pomeroy’s Pirates moved to the top of the SE volleyball race this week with a marathon three-game win over rival Oakesdale in a match last Wednesday and a three-game win over St. John/Endicott Tuesday night on their home court.

The wins advanced the Pirates to 7-0 in the league race with one more round left.

Pomeroy took out the Eagles 25-21 25-20 and 25-21 on their home court with Deana Caruso hitting 11 kills and Sydney Smith putting up 17 assists.

In the round last Wednesday, Pomeroy out-lasted Oakesdale 31-29 25-21 and 26-24 in a marathon match which matched up the two league teams who faced off in the state title game last year.

Oakesdale early in the season topped Pomeroy in a non-league match on the Nighthawks’ court.

Oakesdale Thursday bounced back from the Pomeroy showdown to sweep Prescott. Brooklyn Henley hit 13 kills for the Nighthawks and Madison Shrope put up 25 assists. Logan Reed had 10 digs.

Oakesdale moved to 6-1 Tuesday in the league race with a three-game win over Garfield/Palouse on the Vikings’ court. Line score for the win was 25-12 25-17 and 25-10. Reed hit 20 kills against the Vikings and Madison Shrope put up 20 assists. Payson Griner hit six kills and five blocks for the Vikings and Hope Kriebel lofted 11 assists.

Now 3-4 in the league race, Garfield/Palouse swept Touchet in the Thursday round. They battled for a 25-23 win in the first game and then took the last two on twin 25-14 scores.

Griner rapped 17 kills and had five blocks against the chiefs, and Lizzie Stout had 17 digs. Kriebel booked 12 assists.

Colton picked up two big wins in the campaign with a five-game battle over SJE on pink night last Thursday at Colton, and a sweep over the Tigercats in the Tuesday round at Kahlotus.

Line score for the Tuesday win was 25-12 25-17 and 25-10. Josie Schultheis and Emily Schultheis each had nine kills. Emily had four blocks and Josie added 12 digs.

Colton and St. John/Endicott Thursday locked up at 2-2 tie before the Wildcats ran a 7-0 lead in the fifth game decider with Josie Schultheis at the line. The Eagles finally took the serve but they couldn’t hold it, and Colton jumped the lead to 10-3. It finished at 15-8.

The two teams traded game wins to get into the fifth. Scores were 16-25 25-17 15-25 ad 25-18. In the fourth game, Colton rolled out to a 7-1 run with Emma Schultheis on the serve line. The Eagles picked traction and the lead narrowed to 16-15 for Colton with SJE unable to roll it over.

Jayden Corder hit 11 kills for the Eagles, and Glory Dickerson had 28 assists. Roxy Dickerson hit eight aces for the Eagles.

LaCrosse/Washtucna swept Waitsburg 25-21 25-16 and 25-17 in the Thursday round in a match played at Washtucna.

The Tigercats are now 5-2 in the league race which puts them third behind Colton and Oakesdale who are tied at 6-1 behind the undefeated Pirates.

The Tigercats will play at Oaksdale tonight.

SJE's Riley Lamb hits a shot at Colton's Maggi Pluid in the Thursday match.

-Don Marshall photo

Oakesdale sophomore Aliya Rutledge goes for the hit vs Prescott.