By KLAS STOLPE
Sentinel Staff Writer
The Mt. Edgecumbe High Lady Braves and Sitka Wolves split their weekend home-and-home senior appreciation series matches, successfully defending their own gyms after honoring their upperclassmen.
Friday saw Sitka win a five-set match. The Wolves dropped their first two games 25-21, 25-16, before coming back to win three straight 25-22, 25-20, 17-15.
Mt. Edgecumbe had a higher hitting percentage and serve receive rating but found themselves uncharacteristically faulting on serves.
“We hit, received, set and dug more balls than Sitka,” Mt. Edgecumbe coach Michael Mahoney noted. “We served ourselves right out of the match. It was a good example of how important serving is for our team.”
Mt. Edgecumbe High School volleyball seniors Amy Bioff, Haley Sweet-Cushing, Tyra Brown, manager Makayla Myers, manager Caitlyn Moses, Grace Garner, radio announcer Nelson Jackson, Sanora Bell, and Leticia Skaflestad before Saturday’s Lady Braves senior appreciation match at B. J. McGillis Gym. (Sentinel Photo by Klas Stolpe)
The Lady Braves had 42 assists to the Wolves’ 34, 18 aces to Sitka’s 11, 90 digs to Sitka’s 84, but also had 66 errors to Sitka’s 62 and hit just 80 percent from the service line compared to Sitka’s 90.
Sitka got an unexpected boost from sophomore Antonette Partido. Recently called up from the junior varsity team Partido had key serves in games three-five.
In game three she served from points six to nine, giving the Wolves an advantage they would not lose. Senior Miah Dumag tallied three kills and classmate Joei Vidad three blocks, and classmate Avery Voron a block and three kills including the game winner.
Sitka High School volleyball seniors Calista Gallant, Avery Voron, Abby Forrester, McKenzie Fredrickson, Lorraine Manuel, Taylor Helem, Miah Dumag and Joei Vidad before Friday’s Wolves senior appreciation match. (Sentinel Photo by Klas Stolpe)
Game four featured seven ties with Mt. Edgecumbe gaining a 19-18 advantage on a kill by senior Haley Sweet-Cushing (Haines).
Partido then hit three aces in a row for a 22-19 lead before an error.
Sweet-Cushing served and ace and junior teammate Vernae Ramoth (Ambler) blocked the Lady Braves to tie at 22.
Sitka freshman Chloe Morrison killed a shot for possession and Dumag killed for a 24-22 lead.
A tip by Mt. Edgecumbe’s Leticia Skaflestad (Hoonah) closed the score to within one but Dumag gave Sitka the game with a tip to the corner.
In game five, Mt. Edgecumbe had leads of 5-2, and 6-5 before Dumag tipped for possession and served to 11-6 with an ace and a kill by Voron.
Lady Braves senior Amy Bioff (Nome) killed for possession and sophomore Brody Wysocki (Dillingham) served to within two.
A kill by Morrison for possession was followed by a service error and Mt. Edgecumbe capitalized with Sanora Bell (Yakutat) at the service line, taking a 14-12 advantage on two blocks from Sweet-Cushing and a kill by Sayna Warnke-Green (Nome).
A miss-hit put Sitka junior Tamara Zankiz at service and Vidad killed and tipped for a 15-14 lead.
Sitka senior Joei Vidad kills a shot against the block of Mt. Edgecumbe senior Haley Sweet-Cushing on Friday. (Sentinel Photo by Klas Stolpe)
Mt. Edgecumbe tied the score on a Wysocki kill but lost service on a miss-hit and the Sitka’s Vidad killed for the match 17-15.
“Honestly I couldn’t have done that without my teammates working their butts off,” Vidad said. “Because every point matters and each point we built up to that as a team. I can’t take credit for that hit, I owe it all to my teammates. And we want to thank all the fans and the town for their support and love over the years. We wouldn’t be here without the community.”
Dumag totaled eight scoring hits to lead Sitka, Vidad had five kills and three blocks, Voron five kills and one block, Morrison three kills and four blocks.
“This means everything to us,” Voron said. “We had never won a match against them and we knew we could tonight, and we did it. We showed up.”
Mt. Edgecumbe’s Wysocki had 14 kills and Bioff 11, Wysocki had 26 digs, senior Grace Garner (Ouzinkie) 19 digs, Warnke-Green 11 digs, and Bioff 10 digs. Junior Joeli Carlson had 22 assists and Bioff 17.
“We know we have to be ready for anything,” Bioff said. “We know we need to hustle and that on senior nights people play with a lot of heart.”
On Saturday the Lady Braves won in four sets 25-23, 25-12, 24-26, 25-13.
Mt. Edgecumbe had 39 assists to Sitka’s 29, 20 aces to 5, 71 digs to Sitka’s 76, and 42 errors to Sitka’s 60.
The momentum of the match went to Mt. Edgecumbe in game two as Wysocki killed for possession and served from point 7 to 18, including six aces. After possession changes Bioff served out the game with an ace and a block and kill by Sweet-Cushing.
Sitka took game three with a balanced floor defense but fell in the fourth game as they struggled on serve-receive.
Wysocki led Mt. Edgecumbe with 7 aces, Bioff 6 and Warnke-Green 4. Sweet-Cushing tallied 10 kills, junior Vernae Ramoth (Ambler) 7, Warnke-Green 6, and Wysocki 5. Wysocki had 20 assists and Garner 17. Sweet-Cushing blocked 5 Sitka shots.
Sitka was led by Dumag and Voron with five kills apiece, two kills and two blocks from Vidad, and three kills and one block from Morrison.
“It was a great series,” Mahoney said. “The girls did a great job of keeping the pressure on even when they were up big. And when we struggled in the third set we still played well in the end. I was happy with how we built momentum to get into game four. Sitka had a good match tonight, they played well.”
Sitka honored seniors Dumag, Vidad, Voron, Abby Forrester, McKenzie Fredrickson, Calista Gallant, Taylor Helem and Lorraine Manuel on Friday.
Mt. Edgecumbe honored seniors Bioff, Skaflestad, Tyra Brown (Chevak), Garner, Sweet-Cushing, Bell, manager Makayla Myers (Wasilla), manager Caitlyn Moses (Tooksook Bay) and radio announcer Nelson Jackson (Kwethluk).
Mt. Edgecumbe leads Sitka in head-to-head season games 21-14 and in matches 6-1. The two teams will square off in the Region V Southeast championships in Juneau this weekend. The winner will advance to the State Championships in Anchorage.
