Ferndale split on first day of 3A state volleyball tournament

Getting to day two of the Class 3A State Tournament has been the goal for the past four years for Ferndale’s volleyball team. The Golden Eagles finally got that monkey off their back by splitting their two games on Friday, Nov. 13, at the Toyota Center in Kennewick.

Ferndale lost in three sets in its state tournament first-round match against Seattle Lakeside, falling victim to Lakeside’s powerful outside hitter in a 27-25, 25-20, 25-20 loss. Whitney Walker was impressive on the defensive end in the first match, recording 21 digs and 11 kills.

“Whitney was playing very well defensively but they adjusted and she was placing her shots where our defense couldn’t get to it,” Ferndale coach Patti Hoelzle said in a phone interview. “The games were close so we were hanging with them, but the few points she was able to make was the difference.”

Needing a win to survive, the Golden Eagles responded with a 23-25, 26-24, 25-17, 25-23 win over Prairie in the consolation round. Middles Taryn Potter and Rose Compton played big roles in that match for Ferndale, combining for 34 kills. Potter finished with 20 kills and 16 digs and Compton recorded 14 kills and five blocks.

“They both got it done well in the middle, both block-wise and with their kills,” Hoelzle said. “We know we can depend on them in a tight situation.”

Despite starting out with a first-set loss against Prairie, Ferndale felt the momentum turning its way after coming back from an eight-point deficit in the first set, Hoelzle said.

The victory not only secured a game on the second day of the tournament for Ferndale, it was the Golden Eagles first state win since 1992. They’ll face Auburn Mountainview at 9 a.m. Saturday, Nov. 14, in Kennewick, in a consolation-round match. The winner will go on to the seventh-place game.

“We’ve already met our goal, which was to get to day two,” Hoelzle said. “Now we just want to play up to our potential. ... We’ve talked about wanting this last tournament for our seniors to be a memorable one, so leaving everything out on the floor.”

This story was originally published November 13, 2015 at 11:39 AM with the headline "Ferndale split on first day of 3A state volleyball tournament."