Bulldog V-ball team faces Brewster in state 2B opener

Colfax volleyball players received a sendoff Wednesday morning before they departed for the Yakima SunDome for the state 1B volleyball tournament where they will play Brewster today in the first round at 1:30 p.m.

The Colfax match will be opposite the LaConner-Willipa Valley match in the 16-team start of the state show.

Colfax earned the return to state with a third-place finish in the NE tournament Saturday at Liberty.

They finished third with a four-game win over Chewelah in the match to determine the third and fourth-place NE entrants at Yakima.

They eliminated Springdale in the first match Nov. 9.

Colfax will make the start at the dome after posting a 13-3 record for the season, not counting tournament matches.

Northwest Christian, the NE-North champs who swept Colfax in the Thursday district semi-final round, took out Liberty in three games Saturday for the NE championship. They will play Kittitas/Thorp in the first state round today. Liberty will play Wahkiakum in the opener and will be on the same side of the bracket with the Bulldogs.

Northwest Christian Thursday prevailed 25-15, 25-18 and 25-14 over Colfax to advance to Saturday's championship match with Liberty.

Crusader hitting took a toll on Colfax with Skyla Tunison credited with nine kills. She ran a string in the first game after Colfax pegged an early lead. Mia Tunison hit four aces for the Crusaders.

"They played a pretty consistent match," Colfax Coach Brandy Brown noted.

Kierstyn York hit nine kills for Colfax, and Justice Brown had 16 assists. Anni Cox booked 16 digs in the semi, and Brown and Cox each hit two aces.

In the other semi Thursday, Liberty swept Chewelah 25-15, 25-22 and 25-6.

The loss put Colfax into an elimination match against Springdale in the first round Saturday and they swept the Chargers 26-16, 25-23 and 25-10.

York booked 20 kills and two blocks against the Chargers, and Brown had 25 assists. Abree Aune had 15 digs, and served four aces. Cox had 16 digs.

In the win for third place later Saturday Chewelah took the first game, but the Bulldogs took the next three to bag the number-three state ticket.

York and Sophie Klaveano each had 10 kills, and York had five blocks against the Cougars. Brown totaled 30 assists and hit five aces, and Cox finished with 36 digs.