Knights defeated at home
Knights' volleyball celebrates after scoring a point against Cashmere on Thursday. The Knights fell short at home against the Bulldogs, losing 3-0.
MIKE MAYNARD/COLUMBIA BASIN HERALD
Knights’ Ava Lawrence leaps to serve the ball against Cashmere on Thursday. The Knights improved their scoring in each set. Head Coach Lisa Lawrence said her team showed improvement against Cashmere despite the loss.
Knights’ Madyn Smith prepares to receive Cashmeres serve in their game on Thursday. Head Coach Lisa Lawrence said her players showed great team effort.
The Knights’ Darany Pineda, in white, runs to bump the ball after a Cashmere serve. Heaven Parker (8) calls out to her teammate during the rally.
Knights’ senior Avarie Hill gives a thumbs up during their game against Cashmere on Thursday.
Michelle Woodward (12) of the Knights prepares for an incoming serve from Cashmere on Thursday. Madyn Smith (3) and Paige Christensen (13) look on as their teammate bumps the ball.
ROYAL CITY – On Thursday, the Royal Knights hosted the Cashmere Bulldogs, leading them to be defeated at home 3-0. Though the scoreboard may not reflect it, Head Coach Lisa Lawrence saw her team fight to the very end.
“Cashmere is a tough team, and we knew going into (the game) it was going to be tough. They're one of the best teams in the state, so our goal was to improve each set, which we did, and our score reflected that, and we kept fighting all the way through, which I think is really important,” Lawrence said.
In the first set, the Knights struggled offensively. The Bulldogs brought an aggressive attack and ultimately won the set 25-6. The Knights saw improvement in the second set, improving their score to eight.
“It was a team effort; we had a lot of good touches on the ball, a lot of hustle. Our back row was working hard, and our front row had some good touches as well,” Lawrence said.
However, Cashmere would be too challenging to overcome, and they would lose the set 25-8. In the third set, the Knights fought hard to keep the game alive, but Cashmere ultimately secured the win with a 25-12 set win.
Throughout each set, small errors by the Knights would add up and halt any momentum they were building. Lawrence said that despite the loss, a challenging opponent like the Bulldogs this early in the season is going to help them in the long run.
As they look ahead, the Knights will continue to work on building their team chemistry, Lawrence said.
“Good team culture and meshing is really important for us this year,” she said. “We're kind of rebuilding from last year and just learning from that experience and moving forward and finding a way to improve is where we're at.”
The Knights host Naches Valley on Sept. 16 at 6:30 p.m.
BOX SCORE:
ROYL: 6-8-12-: 0
CASH: 25-25-25: 3
ROSTER:
Name, Jersey
Chloe Christensen, 1
Graycie Kast, 2
Madyn Smith, 3
Evelyn Acencio-Beltran, 4
Maddie Allred, 5
Ava Lawrence, 6
Avarie Hill, 7
Heaven Parker, 8
Darany Pineda, 10
Michelle Woodward, 12
Paige Christensen, 13
Knights’ Ava Lawrence leaps to serve the ball against Cashmere on Thursday. The Knights improved their scoring in each set. Head Coach Lisa Lawrence said her team showed improvement against Cashmere despite the loss.
Knights’ Madyn Smith prepares to receive Cashmeres serve in their game on Thursday. Head Coach Lisa Lawrence said her players showed great team effort.
The Knights’ Darany Pineda, in white, runs to bump the ball after a Cashmere serve. Heaven Parker (8) calls out to her teammate during the rally.
Knights’ senior Avarie Hill gives a thumbs up during their game against Cashmere on Thursday.
Michelle Woodward (12) of the Knights prepares for an incoming serve from Cashmere on Thursday. Madyn Smith (3) and Paige Christensen (13) look on as their teammate bumps the ball.