The Lopez volleyball team took part in a big volleyball tournament on Saturday in Mount Vernon, and played against a variety of teams in a long day at the net. It was a rousing sight to behold…players gave everything, diving to the floor to make saves that made onlookers gasp in shock, spiking the ball for a kill, sending flaming serves just across the net for aces and producing volleys that made the matches look like a coordinated ballet rather than play happening in real time.

Errors were made, too, which made the crowd sigh in remorse. There were missed returns, with the volleyball spinning wildly out of bounds off knuckles and forearms, offside serves, missed volleys and balls caught at net. It was all exciting, the mistakes and the follow through, and without exception the young women on all six teams played their hearts out.

The Lobos played five different JV teams, first playing three pool games in which two games made up a match instead of the usual three to five. The Lobos played Anacortes first, and won the first game 32/30 and lost the second game to Anacortes 25/22. Coach Mellonnie Altona reported, “After our lack of focus against Marysville on Friday, I was heartened to see the young women get their minds back on the game, and they put that intensity back on the court like I know they can. We played well, and in a tournament setting that is all I can ask for.” The team then went on to play against Kennedy and lost two games 25/14 and 18/25, then they played West Seattle and won the first game 25/22 and lost the second 25/20.

In a tournament of this size, how a team fares in pool play will put them in a specific bracket. Lopez went on to play in the silver bracket and in their first bracket match against the Olympic Trojans, the Lobos won 25/19 and 25/21. They progressed in their bracket and played La Conner, losing 26/24 and 25/12 to them.

“Overall,” remarked Coach Altona, “They controlled the ball really well; the ceiling in that gym is really low and they had to be very careful with passing and it added a different element to the bracket games; La Conner had some tough to return serves, but the girls stayed very positive all the way through and never gave up. They were tired, it was a long day, everything was delayed an hour, During the game against Olympic…they weren’t a strong team but it was a slow game. La Conner was way more fast-paced and their overall energy rose to the occasion.”

The Lopez volleyball team plays again at Providence Christian on Tuesday Oct. 14 and at home against North Sound Christian on Friday Oct. 17.