Chris Leverenz still has faith in her volleyball team.
But Auburn Riverside certainly will need to step up its play this Friday in the West Central District tournament at the Kitsap Pavilion in Silverdale.
The Ravens earned the No. 8 berth from the South Puget Sound League tournament after falling to Curtis of University Place in four games 23-25, 25-17, 25-16, 25-15.
Loss aside, Leverenz has kept the faith every step of the way.
“I do. I do believe they can (qualify for state) if they play to their potential,” the coach said. “If we can get by game one, game two will be a whole different match. They need that reward for confidence.”
On Saturday Auburn Riverside, which opened the season ranked seventh, showed what kind of potential it has, knocking off Curtis, 25-23.
The Ravens, however, couldn’t sustain the momentum against the Vikings, a team they lost to in three games earlier in the year.
“Our goal was to at least be respectable this time,” Leverenz said. “We just made too many mistakes.”s
Brooke Bray led all Ravens with 20 kills.
The top six teams from the 16-team district tournament, which is split between this Friday and Saturday, Nov. 15, advance to state. State is slated for Friday and Saturday, Nov. 20-21 at the Toyota Center in Kennewick.
Kentwood nabbed the top seed out of the SPSL tournament followed by: Rogers (No. 2), Kentlake (No. 3), Puyallup (No. 4), Kent-Meridian (No. 5), Bethel (No. 6), Curtis (No. 7), Graham-Kapowskin (No. 9) and Kentridge (No. 10).
Auburn Riverside has qualified for the last two state tournament. The Ravens took second last year in the Class 3A tournament.
AMV wins pair, takes fifth seed
The Auburn Mountainview High volleyball team made quick work of Foster and Lakes during Saturday’s Seamount League/SPSL 3A tournament.
The Lions opened the tournament in convincing fashion, dispatching Foster in three games 25-7, 25-12, 25-10.
The Lions carried over the momentum in a four-game win over Lakes 23-25, 25-20, 25-19, 25-9. The two wins helped Auburn Mountainview snag the tournament’s fifth seed to Saturday’s district tournament at the Kitsap Pavilion in Silverdale.
“We met our goals,” Auburn Mountainview coach Momi Bowles said. “We played really well, really steady. We’re hoping to use it as a springboard into West Central.”
The top seven teams from the district tournament advance to state. Like the Class 4A tournament, the 3A tournament also will be split between two weekends and finish up on Saturday, Nov. 15.
Auburn Mountainview has qualified for state in each of the last two seasons.
Saturday, the Lions put that experience on display, getting 10 assists and seven kills from senior star Megan McBride and five aces from Carin Bell. McBride added 12 kills, 19 assists and three blocks against Lakes while Tara Patton chipped in eight kills.
After Saturday’s performance, Bowles likes her team’s chances of earning a state berth for the third straight year.
“I think we are just now getting back into rhythm,” she said.
