Moses Lake Christian Academy triumphs

Soap Lake falls in three straight games

It was expected for the Moses Lake Christian Academy volleyball team to defeat Soap Lake.

What wasn't expected was the fight the Eagles would put up in the process. Moses Lake put the match away in three straight games (25-16, 25-7, 25-17), but relinquished the lead twice in the first and third games.

"We did let up a little too much and we were making mistakes and not giving it 100 percent," said the Lions' volleyball coach Jennifer Edwards. "But they did turn that around and that is good for them."

After Moses Lake crept to an early 3-0 lead on Soap Lake to open the match, the Eagles quickly closed the gap to tie the game at 4-4. Yet, it was the Lions who kept Soap Lake close during the match.

Moses Lake dashed its ability to pull away from the Eagles after it ended rallies with four missed serves, preventing the Lions from putting the first game away.

Edwards said the intensity was slower than she would have liked, but her team eventually was able to put an end to the first game.

Edwards and the Eagles made little time of game two after holding the Eagles to seven points, four of which, came from violations or errors committed by the Lions.

But, the Eagles were able to bounce back in game two, grabbing its second lead of the three-game match. Edwards said it was a situation Moses Lake never should have been in.

"I think we got a little lazy and we made some mistakes we shouldn't have made," Edwards said.

A timeout after the Soap Lake lead changed the momentum and pushed the needle of opportunity back in Moses Lake's direction. Sophomore Lindsay Dietzen contributed seven of her twelve kills in the final game, including two straight kills off Eagle passes on the closing end of the game.

Moses Lake went on to put the game away at 25-17 and take the match 3-0.

Soap Lake coach Dean Spurbeck said the Eagles are under a new system and showed sparks of potential against Moses Lake in the first and third game. Yet, as game two showed, are still young under the new head coach.

"We are teaching them some stuff that is completely new to them and they will get a grasp of it," Spurbeck said.

Soap Lake was led by freshman Michelle Marthini who had five kills and two blocks for the Eagles, while Stevie Stamper finished with two kills and three aces against the Lions.

Moses Lake's Rebecca Hallberg contributed with 16 assists and Bethany Verhage had five kills against the Eagles. Lindsay Brader went 7-for-7 from the service line with three aces.