Issaquah volleyball moves on in district tournament with win over Newport

The Eagles will face the Bothell Cougars in another loser-out game on Nov. 14.

By Benjamin Olson • November 13, 2019 2:30 pm

The Issaquah Eagles kept their season alive with a 3-0 victory (25-23, 25-17, 25-18) over the Newport Knights in a loser-out 4A Wes-King district volleyball game on Nov. 12 at Mariner High School.

In a close first set, the Eagles broke a 14-14 tie to pull away for a narrow 25-23 win. The Eagles cruised to victory in the second and third sets (25-17, 25-18) to sweep the Knights. Issaquah senior Lauren Spencer said it was important for the Eagles to get off to a good start in the first set.

“It was really important for us to get that momentum, especially in a loser-out bracket,” Spencer said. “It’s all about momentum because you have to keep winning. Obviously, if we had lost, our season would be over. For us to get to state, this was a really important win for us.”

Spencer said the Knights played with a slower tempo offensively, so it was important that they kept playing hard even when they had a lead.

“We did a good job of staying engaged in the game when it got slow,” Spencer said. “Different teams run different offenses and we’ve been playing some really fast offenses and this was a bit slower. So it was important to stay engaged, even when we were ahead, to not let off and just to keep on the gas pedal.”

With a packed postseason schedule, Spencer said it’s important for the team to rotate and get the non-starters into the game. Spencer said it’s also nice to see the younger players get involved because they will be a big part of the future for the Issaquah volleyball team.

“It’s so exciting because those people are going to be taking over the program,” Spencer said. “They’re going to be welcoming in the new people and continuing on our traditions, they’re the future of Issaquah volleyball.”

The win set up another loser-out game against the Bothell Cougars on Nov. 14 at Glacier Peak High School. The Eagles have won both of their matches against the Cougars this season, a 3-1 regular season victory, and a 3-0 sweep in the KingCo playoffs.

The Eagles will have to win their next two games in order to make it into the state tournament, but Spencer said they’re not looking ahead.

“We’re trying to look at it game by game and just focus on what’s right in front of us,” Spencer said.