TONASKET – Tonasket played host to Cascade in a Caribou Trail League volleyball match on Saturday, falling to the Kodiaks 25-18, 25-16, 25-9.
“We were able to play with them some of the time,” said Tonasket coach Nellie Kirk. “But then they got control of the ball and scored the points. The girls are continuing to play with heart and do the best they can.”
Leading the Tigers (4-8, 0-8 CTL) were Amber Kilpatrick with 10-of-13 serving, two aces and two kills; Devan Utt with 7-of-9 serving and four kills; and Dakota Fry with 5-of-5 serving.
The Kodiaks (6-2 CTL) have lost only to perennial state power Chelan in CTL play since rejoining the league in 2006.
Tonasket played at Okanogan on Tuesday, Oct. 25. The Tigers host Cashmere on Saturday, Oct. 29, in their regular-season finale.
Cascade took two of three sets in the JV match, 25-12, 25-17, 20-25.
Chelan 3, Tonasket 0
TONASKET – The Tigers ran up against second-ranked, defending state champion Chelan on Tuesday, Oct. 18, and suffered a 25-2, 25-10, 25-12 loss to the Goats.
Kirk said one of the main challenges for the Tigers was keeping their spirits up.
“I thought we were able to stay positive about the match,” she said. “Chelan has such great ball control that it is very difficult to get the ball past them. Our whole team was very excited whenever we scored a point.”
Utt had three kills, Kilpatrick went 5-of-6 serving and Fry was 5-of-5.
Chelan also won the JV match, 25-14, 25-8, 25-17
Omak 3, Tonasket 1
OMAK – Tonasket pushed Omak’s volleyball team to the edge on Saturday, but couldn’t quite finish off the Pioneers when they had the chance and ended up suffering a four-set Caribou Trail League defeat on Omak’s home court.
Omak took the match 25-20, 27-25, 19-25, 25-19, but that second game, in which the Tigers led 23-22 and 25-24 before the Pioneers ran off the final three points, may well have been the difference.
“Both teams had some terrific saves and long rallies,” said Tonasket coach Nellie Kirk. “Our team put a lot into this match and they were very disappointed in the outcome.”
Tonasket led throughout the third game to get back in the match, with Amber Kilpatrick doing much of the damage on the front line down the stretch after Omak crept to within 21-18.
The Tigers scored six straight points in the fourth game to take a 17-15 lead, and even after Omak responded with four straight points pulled to within 19-18 on Devan Utt’s tip. Omak’s Baelie Meese took over on the net, though, turning in a pair of blocks and a kill as the Pioneers scored six of the last seven points to finish off the match.
“We had good serving which kept us in the game,” Kirk said. “We had some good kills. We just need more. Our passing in the back row is fairly consistent. It would be nice to be able to just put everything together.”
Utt had seven kills and Kilpatrick had four to lead the Tigers. Fry was 11-of-11 serving, Kilpatrick was 10-of-10, Melody Wolen was 11-of-12 and Mackenzie Wheeler was 10-of-12.
The Omak JV team took two of three from the Tigers, 25-14, 25-23, 23-25.
Tonasket 3, Republic 0
REPUBLIC – The Tigers swept Republic 25-21, 25-9, 25-16 in a non-league match on Tuesday, Oct. 11.
Amber Kilpatrick, Devan Utt, Mackenzie Wheeler, Savannah Clinedist and Melody Wolen combined for 51-of-55 with 10 aces to give the Tigers a big edge from the service line.
Kirk said Tonasket’s overall play had improved from previous matches as well.
“This was a really fun match,” she said. We had better control of the ball and made fewer mistakes. Our court coverage was good and we played with a lot of excitement and enthusiasm.”
Clinedist added seven kills, Sadie Long had four kills and Utt had three kills.
The Tigers’ JV team also earned a sweep, 25-19, 27-25, 25-7.
