Anna Yarbro, Naomi Verhage lead MLCA past Wilson Creek

MOSES LAKE - Any chance of a Wilson Creek comeback was promptly squelched by Moses Lake Christian Academy's Anna Yarbro.

In the third set—with the Blue Devils leading 16-15—Yarbro sent a thundering spike over the net to tie the score.

"She's super strong, she's a super smart hitter," head coach Amanda Saenz said. "She's a leader out there so I'm not shocked that that happened. She broke the run."

From that point forward, the Lions rattled off seven more points to take a commanding 23-16 lead and won the third set 25-18—completing their sweep of the Blue Devils (25-18, 25-15, 25-18).

MLCA handled Wilson Creek in the first two sets, leading by as much as nine points in the first and winning by 10 in the second.

However, in the decisive third set the Blue Devils wouldn't lay down.

Wilson Creek took its first lead of the match, 2-1, and led by as many as four points until the Lions eventually walked the lead down.

"Wilson Creek was serving really well and they started placing the ball, which was awesome," Saenz said. "So we just needed to dig in and pass better and they eventually broke the run."

Up front, Yarbro and Naomi Verhage provided the attack for the Lions. Verhage also did damage serving with six aces for the match.

"She's (Yarbro) always one of my key players because she follows direction very well," Saenz said. "This is my second year with them and so now we know each other a little bit better so it's a little bit more of a trust thing.

"Now I think the girls trust me a little better, whereas last year I was different and they had to learn a whole new different offense and a different coaching style and this year I feel like we're all clicking a little bit better because now they know me and I know them."

Elizabeth Godfrey also provided a spark for MLCA in the final set, accounting for a six points in a row.

Saenz was happy with how her team took to the new rotation in their first game.

"I'm really pleased especially because we lost three girls from last year so we had to learn a whole brand new rotation and we have new setters and they adjusted pretty well," she said. "I was excited."

Last year, the Lions were able to advance to the Class 1B State Volleyball Tournament.

Saenz says the obstacle in a return to the Sun Dome is a short bench.

"We're going to have to be conditioned," She said. "I thought we were conditioned last year, but we don't have a big bench. We only have a few subs so we have to be conditioned."