Coupeville drops pair to ranked foes | Volleyball

After playing only one match in 18 days, the Coupeville High School volleyball team jumped back into action with three games in three days -- the first two against ranked opponents.

After playing only one match in 18 days, the Coupeville High School volleyball team jumped back into action with three games in three days — the first two against ranked opponents.

Eighth-ranked Klahowya (1-0, 9-0) spoiled Coupeville’s Olympic League debut 3-0 Tuesday, Oct. 14, in Silverdale. Then Darrington (8-2), ranked ninth in 2B, blanked the host Wolves 3-0 Wednesday, Oct. 15, in a nonleague match.

Coupeville (0-1, 0-8) finishes the three-day run by playing Chimacum (1-0, 2-4) at home at 4 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 16.

Undefeated Klahowya took the first two sets 25-14, 25-10 and then held off the Wolves for a 27-25 win in the third.

Coach Breanne Smedley said the long layoff did not cause any problems, adding, “We just need to learn to trust each other on the court and take care of the ball.”

Smedley has seen “a lot of improvement.”

“Each time we play we are learning more about our strengths and weaknesses and trying to use this information to get better for the next match,” she said.

Hailey Hammer recorded six kills, three blocks and six digs for Coupeville.

Madeline Strasburg finished with four kills and 11 digs; Valen Trujillo had 12 digs; and Lauren Rose registered 13 assists and six digs.

Darrington defeated Coupeville 25-15, 25-16, 25-18.

“We had some great rallies and played pretty scrappy,” Smedley said. The Wolves, however, “had a hard time executing on those long rallies,” she added.

Strasburg collected 12 digs and four kills; Trujillo had 12 digs; and Rose finished with 10 assists and three aces.