North Cedar volleyball impressive in 2A regional sweep of Lisbon

LISBON - With each Lisbon time out, the North Cedar volleyball team just kept piling up the points.

In all three games of a Class 2A volleyball regional quarterfinal, what began as a back-and-forth tussle quickly gave way to an offensive flurry.

'The best part was our passers were on, our hitters were on and everything just seemed to click tonight,” North Cedar Coach Traci Smith said Monday night after the Knights swept host Lisbon, 25-10, 25-17, 25-13. 'Everybody was going. We had everybody on, and I think that makes a big difference.”

North Cedar (22-15) scored 20 of the final 25 points in Game 1, then broke a 7-7 tie in the second game with a 10-1 surge that eventually became another double-digit lead. The sweep was imminent after the Knights used a 16-3 burst to get within five points of victory at 20-7.

'We just worked hard in practice and we've got some new lineups and that's what has really worked for us,” said senior Darby Hawtrey, who led North Cedar with nine kills.

A significant factor in the new lineup is the emergence of freshman setter Sydney Dennis, who began the season at libero but has responded well to the position change. Dennis tallied 23 assists Monday night, while another impact freshman, Kelly Proesch, added seven kills.

'They've made a huge difference on our team,” Smith said.

Senior Darian Gray posted six kills and four solo blocks for North Cedar, which will face Bellevue (20-12) in a 2A regional semifinal Thursday at 7 p.m. in Cascade.

'This boosts our confidence a lot,” said junior Katie Thompson, who recorded eight digs, three aces and three kills. 'It makes us really pumped for Thursday. … We're ready for them.”

Juniors Karlie Krob and Reegan Happel each had five kills for Lisbon, which ends its season at 25-12.

'I told the kids in the locker room, I said, ‘It's tough when you play the worst match you've played all year at the worst possible time,'” Lisbon Coach Lance Kamaus said.

l Comments: douglas.miles@thegazette.com