By Terrie Schmidt-Crosby
The Record 

Tigers are District 7 champions

 

Last updated 11/11/2021 at 9:16am

Photos by Stan Dammel | Special to The Record

Odessa High volleyball team takes District 7 championship. Back: Asst. coach Terri Neilsen, Kathryn Finch, Tori Schlomer, Ashlyn Neilsen, Melloney Deife, Emily Scrupps, Grace Nelson, Hayden Schuh, head coach Suzie Deife. Front: Lily Starkel, Reegan Carstensen, Laela Hardung, Kaytlyn Shafer, Mackenzie Lutz.

The Odessa Tigers volleyball team has gotten stronger as the season has progressed. The team is helped by the return of Grace Nelson following ankle surgery. Freshman Lily Starkel, who stepped in for Nelson early in the season, did a very credible job especially in getting blocks at the net. But Nelson's stronger offense and other players' more judicious choice of hits is helping the team to shine in the second half of the season.

The Tigers are the league champions and #1 seed in the district tournament. The tournament begins at Odessa and Republic home sites on Nov. 4, and Odessa defeats both Curlew and ACH in straight sets to advance to the tournament finals Saturday, Nov. 6, at NW Christian High School.


Odessa vs. Curlew

The Tigers have little trouble against Curlew, which loses numerous points on double-hit infractions called by the district referees. Odessa is also called for a few of the same infraction, but the calls appear particularly disheartening to the Curlew team.

Odessa 25 25 25 3

Curlew 5 9 7 0

Former Odessa resident Macey Singer plays for the Curlew Cougars and is given a friendly welcome by the Odessa players and fans.

Ashlyn Neilsen leads in kills with nine and also in service aces with six. Melloney Deife leads in assists with 18. Digs are evenly distributed among the Odessa players.

Nelson has the team's only block in this match.

Odessa vs. Almira-Coulee-Hartline

The Tigers next face ACH, which defeated Northport earlier on Nov. 4. Team Odessa is in good form, defeating the Warriors in three straight.

Odessa 25 25 25 3

ACH 15 22 16 0

Senior Emily Scrupps leads the team offense with 11 kills. Neilsen leads in service aces with four, while Deife leads in digs and assists with seven and 27, respectively. Laela Hardung is team leader in serves received at 10 with no errors. Hayden Schuh with five blocks (two solos and three assists) leads the team defense.

Odessa vs. Wilbur-Creston-Keller

Hayden Schuh powers her way through a kill shot as Emily Scrupps (8) prepares for a possible return in the championship match against WCK at NW Christian High School last Saturday.

The Tigers put the icing on the cake on Sat., Nov. 6, at NW Christian High School in Colbert when they faced WCK for the district title. Odessa won in three straight sets, although the Wildcats put up a good fight.

Odessa 25 25 25 3

WCK 20 19 23 0

Grace Nelson and Hayden Schuh tied for the lead in kills with eight apiece. Melloney Deife led in digs with 13, assists with 28 and service aces with three. Laela Hardung and Ashlyn Neilsen each received serve 11 times. In blocking, Nelson had two and Schuh had one.

The Tigers and the Wildcats both move on to the state tournament in the Yakima Sun Dome this week. We will have full coverage of the tournament in next week's Odessa Record.

Author Bio

Terrie Schmidt-Crosby, Editor

Terrie Schmidt-Crosby is an editor with Free Press Publishing. She is the former owner and current editor of the Odessa Record, based in Odessa, Wash.

 

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