Colfax volleyball gets Homecoming win

COLFAX - After falling to 4A school Ferris on Tuesday, Sept. 17, the Colfax Bulldogs picked themselves up and got ready for a 3-1 Homecoming victory against Goldenale on Saturday, Sept. 21.

Set scores for the Homecoming match were 25-19, 25-22, 27-29, 25-16.

"We're getting there," said Colfax coach Megan Dorman. "We started a new lineup today so the first couple of sets we had some miscommunication here and there but we'll get there. We have a big week coming up, which will be a big test for how we're actually doing. But the chemistry is coming."

Set one began withColfax taking a 10-1 lead. Two aces by junior setter/libero Isabella Huntley four kills by senior middle blocker Ava Swan, assisted by junior setter Cianna Gibb set the tone for the entire match.

Swan finished the night with 30 kills and Gibb had 44 assists, both stat leaders for the match. Set one ended with a kill by Swan.

Set two began with Colfax taking a commanding 4-0 lead, again on kills by Swan, assisted by Gibb, and an ace by Huntley.

While Goldendale managed to close the gap, the Bulldogs held strong and finished with a close 25-22 win, taking a 2-0 lead in the match.

"The Cianna to Ava (was the best part of our game)," Dorman said. "I thought we were smarter about some of those out-of-system plays, setting Ava in the back row or setting high outside is something we've been working on."

Goldendale struck first in set three, which would prove to be the toughest set of the night for Colfax. The Bulldogs regrouped and took a 6-2 lead, but Goldendale gained nine points in a row to lead 11-6.

Colfax pushed back and managed to tie the set, 24-24, with a kill by senior libero Brenna Gilchrist, assisted by Gibbs.

Goldendale would then gain a point, only for Colfax to tie the set again until the score was 27-27. Goldendale finally was able to get two points in a row and take set three, 29-27.

"Our third set has been kinda quiet the last couple of matches, so we need to figure out how to turn on the jets on that one," Dorman said. "But they are doing a good job. One of the things about volleyball is you get to reset every set and it can change on a dime."

After the small defeat, Colfax show how much they could turn the jets on. The Bulldogs took a 3-0 lead and never looked back from there. They outscored Goldendale at least 2-1 several times in the match and handily dispatched with Goldendale, 25-16, and won the match, 3-1.

"I think we came out with a little more intensity, a little more purpose in that fourth set," Doorman said.

Colfax junior outside hitter Ruby Simmons led the team with four aces, Gilchrist had 25 digs and senior middle blocker Karly Wigen had two blocks.

Colfax moved to 2-2 on the season, with its only losses coming from higher-league foes (Pullman and Ferris). The Bulldogs went on to play an away match against Lind-Ritzville-Sprague on Tuesday, Sept. 24, after press time.

Next up for the Bulldogs will be a home match at 6:30 p.m. today, Thursday, Sept. 26, against Freeman.