After ending 32-year state drought, Eagles return veteran team in ‘24

SOAP LAKE — The 2023 season was a special one for the Soap Lake volleyball team; the Eagles reached the 1B State Volleyball Tournament for the first time in 32 years, winning their play-in game against a higher seed. This year, the Eagles want to build off last year’s success. 

“Just keep that momentum going,” Head Coach Niki Noble said. “The majority of our starters were sophomores last year, and now they’re juniors. They’ve grown a little bit in maturity level, their skills have grown, and we’re going to keep building off of what they know and play a higher level of volleyball.” 

That starting group of sophomores will return this year, featuring now-juniors Mylee Dana, Liana Sushik, Brooke Dana and Sage Hart. Two of last year’s starters – Olivia McCrady and first-team all-leaguer Laura Villa-Alva – graduated in the spring. 

“Last year we had such a great connection that we’ve brought it on to this year,” Mylee Dana said. “We all know what we’re doing, so I think that’s going to be great.” 

Plus, returning four of six starters brings some cohesion to the floor.  

“We’re really used to each other, we worked really hard this summer together,” Sushik said. “We learned to communicate, bonded – that's the key, bonding.” 

Work over the summer included open gyms twice a week, which received strong participation from the program’s varsity players according to Noble. 

“Some of them corrected little things in their approach or little mistakes they used to make,” Noble said. “They’ve corrected those things, and they’ve become even better.” 

Soap Lake finished with a 14-6 record in 2023, placing third in both the Central Washington 1B league standings and district tournament. The Eagles defeated Wilson Creek 3-1 in the district tournament third/fourth-place match to earn a state berth, where they defeated Darrington 3-1 in the play-in round before suffering losses to Mossyrock and Entiat. 

“What we did last year is something really big – 32 years of not going (to state),” Sushik said. “That let us know that we can do it again.” 

Noble noted the team’s eagerness and work ethic as strengths heading into the upcoming season. 

“They’re focused on their goal, and they want to be the best that they can be,” Noble said. “A lot of them have worked really hard physically and mentally to better their game.” 

Soap Lake begins the 2024 season Tuesday with a road tilt against Republic at 4:30 p.m. 

    Soap Lake junior Liana Sushik bumps the ball during an August 28 practice. Sushik is one of four returning starters from the 2023 team.
  

    Soap Lake players celebrate after scoring a point last season.
  

    Soap Lake junior Mylee Dana serves the ball during an Eagle home game last season.