A breakout season is in order for Kentlake volleyball as the Falcons continue to win matches. They defeated Federal Way in four sets (3-1) on Oct. 27 on the road at Federal Way High School.
Kentlake has now won 11 matches this year, surpassing last year’s total with two matches still left to play.
The Falcons have won three in a row and five out of their last six. Over the course of the six matches, including the loss to White River, Kentlake has dropped a total of four sets. Their set score since Oct. 9 is 16-4 following the four set win over Federal Way.
“We had a tough first set, but we quickly made some great adjustments and played some really good volleyball tonight,” Head Coach Shana Behrens said.
Against the Eagles, Kentlake got out to a slow start. Federal Way jumped out to an early 5-3 lead and never gave up the lead after losing the first set. The Eagles won the first set 25-17, and Kentlake just couldn’t generate any momentum in the first set.
“Our passing and serve receive generates a lot of rhythm from that with our offense. We just didn’t have that in the first set. Federal Way was serving us tough and we just couldn’t utilize our offense,” Behrens said.
Yvie Nimmons goes for the kill over Federal Way. Ben Ray / The Reporter
But come set two, both sides played competitive volleyball and were even tied at 20 and 21. But Kentlake was able to rattle off four straight points to win their first set of the night, 25-21.
In the third set, neither side was able to separate early. But in the middle of the third set, Kentlake won four out of five points to take a 14-9 lead. Federal Way bounced right back and trailed by just one, 16-15. The Falcons relied on their freshman attack and outscored Federal Way 11-3 to take set three, 25-18.
Federal Way played scrappy — the Eagles are 7-7 and are on the doorstep of clinching a spot in the West Central District Tournament. The Eagles also were one game away from a chance at making the state tournament last year. A grind-it-out performance against a team like Federal Way can go a long way for Behrens’ Falcons.
“We talked about Federal Way being a team we should feel good about finishing and defeating them both times this season. They hustle and play really great defense. We knew it would be a pretty great matchup,” Behrens said. “Any chance in this league when we get a good matchup is when we can start turning the volume up.”
Kentlake pulled off the four set victory 25-17 in the fourth set after Federal Way crept its way back into the set at 15-9, the Falcons pulled away. But the focus is on the next level and the next hurdle for these Kentlake Falcons.
Ryann Smith (left) and Mattea Finseth (right) go up for the block. Ben Ray / The Reporter
“Every day we are talking about districts, preparing and what that reality looks like. It is very different than the NPSL 3A, it’s a totally different level. Every practice I am thinking of them competing at that next level of competition,” Behrens said.
There are two games left on the Kentlake schedule. The Falcons finish the regular season at home against Decatur on Nov. 3, but their penultimate game is their big test.
Kentlake goes on the road to White River to take on the one-loss Hornets, a side that hasn’t lost a set to any team in the NPSL, except to Kentlake back on Oct. 15.
“We want to go to Buckley and we want to take more than one set off them,” Behrens said. “It was not fluke to win that set. They put up some really good numbers in that set. It is going to be a battle. We are going to have to play really good volleyball that night.”
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