ILE PHOTO

Sidney Behrendt (4) and Cami Lubereski (11) and the Trojan volleyball team have advanced to the state tournament.

Dillard sparks Fife district win

By John Larson

The Fife Trojans are once again heading to the state volleyball tournament, taking place at the Toyota Center in Kennewick Nov. 21-22. They will arrive coming off a loss in the title game of the 2A West Central District tournament at Kitsap Sun Pavilion in Bremerton Nov. 15. They fell to an impressive North Mason squad, which heads to state as the No. 1 seed.

The Trojans stayed close to the Bulldogs for most of the first game but often they were hitting the ball a bit too hard on the returns, sending several just past the end line as North Mason pulled away for a 25-17 win.

North Mason got out to a big lead in the second game, ahead 22-9 at one point. The Trojans started closing the gap when Taylor Dillard was serving, getting the score to 22-13. The Trojan comeback was not quite enough as the Bulldogs won 25-14.

The Trojans had some trouble getting digs in the third game. North Mason’s Danielle Cook had an impressive block at one point. Cook, who led her team with 15 kills and eight blocks, summed up the action in the match on the final play, when she leaped up and put the ball over the net with a slam dunk of a spike to cap the Bulldogs’ 25-15 win.

For the Trojans, Sydney Behrendt had six kills and one block, Kayla Williams had seven kills and Jessica Miller had six kills.

Fife head coach Jan Kirk noticed the effort shown by Dillard. The sophomore setter hit the floor several times diving for the ball. “I was very pleased with how she played,” Kirk said of Dillard, who had 22 assists and three kills.

While the Trojans are a perennial volleyball power, Kirk said they still have things to work on during the week before heading to state. The fact the players have been there before provides the benefit of not being overwhelmed by the experience, she noted.

“It does give us an advantage. If you do not go very often the players can be awe inspired,” she said. “The more you go the better you are.”

The Trojans will face Tumwater in the first round of the state tournament at 2 p.m. Nov. 21.

Story Tools