by Cienna Richardson
Orcas High School Junior
The Lady Vikings traveled to Granite Falls to play their varsity and JV teams on Oct. 7. Despite the game going to four sets, the varsity team lost.
“After losing a heartbreaker at home to La Conner and getting thoroughly beaten by a very good Coupeville squad, the team came back two days later to beat Mt. Baker, a larger school from outside our conference. After taking a day off, the team traveled to Granite Falls, another larger school, and lost the match 3-1,” said head coach Mallory Balcomb.
The final box score was 25-17, 11-25, 18-25, 11-25.
“Even though we lost the volleyball game, it was such a fun experience. They were definitely a tough match, but we had a lot of fun together as a team,” said junior Maria Burns, who was named player of the match.
Friday Harbor, always a big competitor with the Orcas Island High School due to long-lasting rivalries, hosted the Vikings on Oct. 10. The Friday Harbor game was quite a victory for the Lady Vikings.
“It’s always a good time playing Friday Harbor,” said senior Morgan Anderson. “We came in ready to give 110% and were able to adapt to different plays the Wolverines gave us. After we got a strong lead, we brought out some of our younger players on varsity, who all did an amazing job filling their role. I’m very happy with how the game turned out.”
The Vikings swept the Wolverines in three. The final box score was 25-13, 25-5, 25-17.
“We are halfway through our regular season schedule and have a 2-2 conference record, 4-5 overall. We have had some of our best players absent during the last couple of weeks, yet we’ve remained competitive. Kudos to a couple of freshmen, Mia Ashcraft and Emi Rios, who stepped up and played like veterans. We [are] excited about the future with our youngsters.” said Balcomb.
Orcas hosted the Neah Bay Devils for two days, playing back-to-back games on Oct. 11-12.
“The Neah Bay Devils are always a top-tier program. They finished second at state last year and their visit is one of the highlights of the season,” said Balcomb.
During their first match-up, the stands were packed with fans cheering for their Lady Vikings, who swept the Devils in three. The final box score was 25-19, 25-21, 25-13. The next day, the Devils returned strong (despite spending the previous night on the gym floor) and swept the Vikings in three. The box score was 14-25, 16-25, 13-25. The Orcas players wore pink socks and bows over the weekend.
“The pink game is very special for us because we are playing in honor of our Mema. Breast cancer awareness will always hold a special place in our hearts as we have experienced such a great loss of such a special person in our lives,” said Ava and Mia Ashcraft on the loss of their grandmother. “Our Mema has had a great impact on our lives as a strong woman who taught us so many life lessons that we will cherish forever. We will do our best to carry on her great legacy. We love you, Mema.”
The Lady Vikings have a home “Pink” game on Oct. 17 Lopez at 4 p.m. Their homecoming game is Oct. 22 at 3:30 p.m. against Mount Vernon Christian.
“I do think having a loud crowd and big energy has a positive impact on the way we play,” said junior Vera Sasan.
