Liberty Bell sophomore Caitlyn Cooley, No. 8, went on the attack from the front row on Oct. 8 against Manson.
As the volleyball season enters the home stretch, the Liberty Bell High School Lady Lions are in second place in the Central Washington 2B League standings thanks to a gritty win on Oct. 8 over Manson.
Liberty Bell (8-4, 4-1) defeated the Lady Trojans in four close games, 25-21, 26-24, 21-25, 25-21. The Lady Lions had to come from behind late in all three wins against a disciplined Manson squad.
Coach Christine Scott said after the match she was proud of her players for fighting through mid-season fatigue, something every team goes through to some degree. The team was near the tail end of a stretch of eight competitions in 16 days, including a daylong tournament in Quincy.
Scott said the win was “huge” for her team, given that Manson and Liberty Bell both were undefeated in league at the time.
Manson and Lake Roosevelt were right behind Liberty Bell in the standings at 3-1 before the games scheduled for Tuesday (Oct. 15). Both of those teams’ only losses came against the Lady Lions.
Liberty Bell’s winning streak was halted at four matches the next night (Oct. 9), when Brewster (9-1, 4-0) swept the Lady Lions in three games.
Scott summed up the match succinctly: “Brewster was good, and we didn’t play well.”
One exception to her assessment, she said, was junior Gretta Eberline, who stood out on defense from the back row with eight digs.
“Losses like that make us stronger and the next day’s practice productive,” Scott said.
The Lady Lions bounced back at home Saturday (Oct. 12) against Waterville/Mansfield, winning the match in three games: 25-21, 25-13, 25-18.
“All-around strong games for everyone,” Scott reported. “It’s amazing to see the improvement and these girls’ hard work paying off.”
Sophomore Caitlyn Cooley had “an amazing game on the net” and notched five kills, Scott said. Jadyn Mitchell contributed eight kills in the win.
The Lady Lions’ schedule eases a bit as it winds down. League play continues Thursday (Oct. 17) at Tonasket. The girls’ next match is at home on Tuesday (Oct. 22) against Soap Lake. Liberty Bell defeated both of these schools in the early preseason.
Thinking ahead, the top six teams in the Central Washington 2B League qualify for this season’s district playoffs, which start Nov. 2. The district champion qualifies for state, and the top four finishers advance to another stepping-stone to state—a crossover tournament Nov. 7 in Quincy against teams from the 2B Eastern Washington Athletic Conference.
