The old adage is that it is difficult to beat a team three times in one season.

But Auburn Riverside coach Chris Leverenz wanted to leave no doubt that her volleyball team was the best in the Auburn School District.

The Ravens confirmed it Saturday, beating rival and host Auburn Mountainview for the third time this season to take third at the West Central District tournament and earn a return trip to the Class 3A tournament.

Game scores were 23-25, 25-16, 23-25, 25-23, 15-11.

“There was a little bit of fear there because when you go into a match against your rival, they have everything to gain – and we have everything to lose,” said Leverenz, whose team was eliminated from district title contention after a 25-19, 25-23, 25-21 semifinal setback against Kennedy Catholic. “They want to run around and say, ‘Hey, we beat you, finally. We knew we were better all of the time.’ It’s kind of about bragging rights.

“We went in with a little question. Maybe that was something left over from the Kennedy match. My players usually don’t get like that.”

The defending 3A state champion Ravens are not accustomed to losing. After all, they finished 14-0 in South Puget Sound League play this season. And they had no desire to enter state, where they have advanced in three of the last four seasons, on a losing streak.

“We had this mentality of we’re not losing,” said senior outside hitter Kiana Drumheller, who had 18 kills and 14 digs against the Lions.

Sophomore outside hitter Calley Heilborn finished with 18 kills and 20 digs for the Ravens in the third-place match. Kasey Holand produced 18 kills and three blocks; Lauren Smith distributed 45 assists and had 11 digs; and Clarice Buchanan delivered a team-high 22 digs.

Auburn Riverside and Auburn Mountainview can turn their attention to state this week.

The Ravens open at 8 a.m. Friday against Eastside Catholic at the Toyota Center in Kennewick. The Lions, who advanced to state for the ninth time in the 11-year history of the school, open at 9:45 a.m. Friday against Shorewood.

“I’m just excited to have them experience that and play at a high level all weekend,” said Lions coach Telia Peterson, whose team returns to state after a one-year absence.

Even though the Lions won two of their first three games against Auburn Riverside on Saturday, Peterson believed they started too slow. She said her team needs to improve in one significant area to achieve success at state.

“Just being more mentally prepared,” Peterson said. “A little more confidence.”

Leverenz’s team was ranked No. 1 in its classification throughout most of the season, a lofty position that proved to be a distraction, the coach admitted.

“Somebody else can have that,” she said.

Leverenz wants her players to focus more on fundamentals – offense, particularly serving, and blocking – than rankings.

“We need to stick to our game plan,” she said. “We made some adjustments on other teams, maybe almost too much to a fault. We need to stick to what we’ve been doing all year … (those strengths) that have gotten us to this point.”

Columbia River, which swept Auburn Mountainview in the semifinals in five games, won the district title, beating Kennedy Catholic in five games.

Auburn dropped its district opener to Auburn Riverside and then met elimination against Capital.