Moses Lake comes back to defeat Othello
Casey McCarthy/ Columbia Basin Herald A pair of Moses Lake players combine for the block at the net against Othello on the way to the Chiefs’ five-set victory.
Casey McCarthy/ Sun Tribune Othello’s Janeisse Alvarez serves the ball during the first set of five-set defeat for the Huskies against Moses Lake.
Casey McCarthy/ Sun Tribune Othello’s Alyssa Freeman goes for the kill against Moses Lake.
Casey McCarthy/ Columbia Basin Herald Moses Lake High School volleyball team celebrates after their five-set victory over Othello on Monday night.
MOSES LAKE — Moses Lake High School came back after losing two sets in a row to pull off the victory against Othello High School at home.
The Chiefs took the victory, 25-20, 27-29, 20-25, 26-24, 15-9. The Chiefs had the lead early and kept it from mid-way through the first to take the one set advantage.
Othello jumped out in front in the second set before Moses Lake came back late to even the score. The Huskies were able to hold on as the lead went back and forth between the two teams. In set three Othello jumped out ahead again, with the Chiefs never able to pull back to even the score, going down 2-1 headed into the fourth.
In set four, Othello again took off in front, leading by as many as seven, before the Chiefs made a big run to retake the lead. The score was close again near the end, but Moses Lake was able to come out on top and force the fifth, and final set.
In the decisive fifth set, Moses Lake took the lead after a back-and-forth start, never relenting as they went on to take the match, 3-2.
Moses Lake head coach Jennifer Gering said of her player’s fight to come back from the hole they were in “amazing.”
“It’s hard for high school kids to come back after they’ve lost two in a row and strive to get past the mistakes, and they did that well,” Gering said. “We did get stuck in some mistakes, but we pulled ourselves through.”
Outside hitter Gabi Rios had a big game for the Chiefs, with 20 kills in the game. Gering said Rios is a player they try and keep at the center of their attack.
“We try to have our offense built around her so she can get what she can get,” Gering said. “Of course, if we don’t have the passes, we don’t have the sets, we don’t get the kills. But she capitalizes every time she gets the sets.”
The Moses Lake head coach said she felt the defense played well against the Huskies, including the back row who Gering said adjusted well after Othello was able to start getting some attacks past.
Moving forward in the schedule against West Valley (Yakima), Gering said the Chiefs will face a similar style to what they faced against Othello.
“West Valley has been a power in the league for many years,” Gering said. “They do play similar. We’ve got to cover a little better than we did tonight.”