Rainier Mountaineers faced an unexpected challenge in their opening match of the 2B State Tournament, nearly falling victim to an upset against the 16th-seeded Orcas Island team. The contest took place at the Yakima Valley SunDome, where the Mountaineers initially struggled, losing the first set amid a flurry of nerves and miscommunication on the court.
Despite their shaky start, the top-seeded Mountaineers, who recently captured the District 4 2B championship, steadied themselves and managed to win the next three sets decisively, ultimately claiming the match 3-1. “I think we just came in with a bundle of nerves,” commented head coach Carrie Ooms. “Everybody was so excited, and I think they put a lot of stress on themselves coming in.” Ooms emphasized the importance of returning to fundamentals and focusing on winning one point at a time rather than becoming overwhelmed by the match”s stakes.
In the first set, Rainier fell behind quickly, giving up the first six points, which prompted an early timeout by Ooms. The Mountaineers struggled with Orcas Island”s serves, leading to a gap of as many as eight points. Although they fought back to narrow the deficit to just one point at 22-23, they ultimately lost the set.
The second set began similarly, with an ace from Orcas Island. However, senior Anika Plowman turned the tide for Rainier, contributing three service aces and two kills, allowing the Mountaineers to establish a 14-10 lead. The team capitalized on this momentum and closed the set with a 25-19 victory.
The third set saw Rainier initially falter as Orcas Island took a 15-10 lead. However, Katelyn Eckroth”s service game proved pivotal. Her powerful serves not only scored points but also disrupted the Vikings” ability to return effectively. Eckroth”s contributions included back-to-back aces, helping Rainier dominate the end of the set with a 15-2 run, winning 25-17.
Entering the fourth set, Orcas Island briefly led, but the Mountaineers quickly regained control. The team displayed the same intensity that had led them to a recent victory over Toutle Lake, with Allyson Ooms leading the charge with unstoppable attacks. Rainier”s defense tightened considerably, preventing balls from reaching the back row, which had previously been a weakness. The Mountaineers sealed the match with a commanding 25-13 win in the fourth set.
With this victory, Rainier (17-4) advanced to the quarterfinals of the state tournament for the third consecutive year. They will face eighth-seeded Northwest Christian (Colbert) on Wednesday at 7:15 PM. A win in this next match would place Rainier in their second semifinal in three years, potentially setting up a rematch against Toutle Lake, whom they recently faced in the district championship. Coach Ooms expressed hope that the team would be more relaxed in their next match, free from the pre-game jitters that affected their performance against Orcas Island.
