Edmonds (27-12, 9-3 North) comes into the tournament as one of
the hottest teams in the NWAC after winning its last five matches. The
tournament kicks off Thursday morning on the fifth floor of the Greater Tacoma
Convention Center. The Tritons play a familiar opponent in their first-round
match in Linn-Benton CC. The Roadrunners defeated the Tritons in three
early-season matches this year – 2-0 at the kickoff NWAC Showcase, 3-2 on the
Roadrunners' home floor September 4, and again 2-0 at the Bellevue College
Invite on September 7.
“They have a couple nice hitters, play relentless defense, and
serve tough,” said Edmonds head coach Tony Miranda of Linn-Benton, which
finished as the No. 3 seed from the South Region and went 27-10 overall.
Edmonds CC volleyball at the banquet |
The Tritons have qualified for the playoffs for the fourth
consecutive year under Miranda. Last year they placed fourth at this
tournament. Three players were selected as NWAC North Region All-Stars as
announced by the conference at the banquet Wednesday night. Sophomores Sadie Gardner
and Haylee Hooper were first-team picks, and freshman Danika Brown made
the second team.
Gardner has been a stalwart. She leads the team in kills as an
outside hitter, and is an overall talent.
“She’s more than the kills. She gets aces, digs, blocks,”
Miranda said. “On any given night she could be the best on our team in any of those
categories.” Gardner earned the North Region Offensive Player of the Week award
the final three weeks of the season.
Hooper overcame an injury during the season and has stepped up
her defense since returning to the starting lineup. Along with Gardner, she is
a two-time first-team selection in the North.
Brown has become good at scoring in transition. "She's making herself available to attack. Danika and Jerzie's (Pluid) blocking has made the opposing team's hitter do things they don't want to," Miranda said. Brown is an efficient hitter as well. Her .268 hitting percentage is best on the team and 12th overall in the NWAC.
For Edmonds to advance and have success Miranda thinks it starts and ends with his sophomores.
“They will have to lead like they have all year. They’ve played
all different positions, all six rotation positions," he said. “They’ve
been here before, they are tested … on the court, with how we play and how we
prepare off the court. They are key."
This year’s team has overcome a multitude of injuries, and
Miranda is proud of how the Tritons have bounced back.
“I’ve never had so many matches and sets lost due to
injury on any team I’ve ever coached. This has been a resilient group,” Miranda
said. “You lose your libero, lost your setters – the next person has stepped in
and played well.”
Gardner has been the only sophomore that didn’t catch the injury
bug. Hooper, the team’s returning all-league setter, went down for a stretch.
Ludwig, the returning libero, had two injury stints. Weekes, who stepped up to
fill a few different roles, went down before the regular-season finale.
Makalei Watson was the starting outside hitter when she was
hampered. She is back, but not to full strength and missed most of region play.
Sara Gauna also saw time on the bench.
Now with Weekes out, freshman Erin Doner will step up and
assume the opposite hitter role. She was thrown into the fire the last match of
the regular season and fared well. The Tritons swept previously undefeated
Whatcom in straight sets. “Sara, Erin, and Jerzie have shown glimpses this
year,” Miranda added.
In the last five games Ludwig and Hooper have re-established
their chemistry. “Our offense works better when we get that good dig, set and
swing off,” said Miranda. Down the stretch the Tritons have played great
defense which has fueled the offense.
Miranda may have done his best coaching job this season, his
11th year as head coach in the NWAC.
“This team believes in each other and they trust each
other," he said. "Our depth has been crucial. The next person up for
us has been solid and has allowed us to compete.”
Edmonds has a tough draw if it’s to advance on the winners’
bracket side. No. 1-ranked North Idaho College and No. 2 Pierce are both on the
same side of the bracket.
All three healthy sophomores – Gardner, Hooper, and Ludwig –
will play in the All-Star Games on Sunday, November 24. The North faces the
South first at 10:30 a.m. followed by another match at noon.
NWAC Volleyball Championship Website | Bracket | Scores &Stats | Live Stream (Pay-per-view) | Triton Athletics Twitter
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