Aberdeen and Hoquiam battled it out on the hardwood as we review Thursday’s Twin Harbors prep volleyball matches.

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PREP VOLLEYBALL

Aberdeen 3, Hoquiam 1

Standout Aberdeen junior libero Sophia Knutson found a groove to start a pivotal third set that led to the Bobcats running Hoquiam out of the gym.

Aberdeen took an early lead it would never relinquish en route to a 25-18 first-set win only to see an early lead in Game 2 slip away as the somewhat depleted Grizzlies secured a 25-21 win with a kill by junior outside hitter Hallie Burgess after a long volley.

With Hoquiam ripping momentum from the Bobcats’ clutches, Knutson used her intimidating jump-serve to power Aberdeen to a 14-1 lead in to open the third set, including seven aces to turn the tide of the match.

“I don’t know, I felt on fire,” Knutson said of her game-changing run that the Grizzlies backcourt had no answer for. “I just kept doing the same thing every time and it felt great. I was just going and was just in the momentum.”

RYAN SPARKS | THE DAILY WORLD Aberdeen libero Sophia Knutson serves up one of her game-high 11 aces during a victory over Hoquiam on Thursday at Aberdeen High School.

Aberdeen never trailed by more than nine points the rest of the set and took a 2-1 lead with the 25-12 third-set victory.

“All I said was, ‘Fresh start. We’re 1-1. Who cares? Let’s go,’” Aberdeen head coach Desiree Glanz said of her team talk after the second-set loss.

The Bobcats’ strong service game continued to wreak havoc on the Grizzlies in the fourth set as Aberdeen opened an 8-1 lead on an eight-point streak by junior setter Mia Hallak, who had three-straight aces with her own jump-serve.

Aberdeen held the lead throughout the remainder of the set, winning the match when a ball put over by Hoquiam sophomore outside hitter Aaliyah Kennedy sailed wide out of bounds.

“I think already having such a lead like that and getting so hyped up, really close to winning, I think that’s what motivated us to keep it going,” Knutson said of her team’s serving prowess in the final two games. “(Beating Hoquiam) feel so good. It feels amazing.”

With the win, Aberdeen has taken two of its last three meetings over the Grizzlies after winning just twice out of the previous 15 meetings.

RYAN SPARKS | THE DAILY WORLD Aberdeen’s Dallyn Williams (left), Micah Turpin (2) and Mia Hallak celebrate a point during a win over Hoquiam on Thursday at Sam Benn Gym in Aberdeen.

Knutson went 22 of 25 from the service line and had a team high 11 aces to go along with 16 digs, proving once again why she was named the 2A Evergreen’s First Team libero a season ago.

“In the Monte match, she was struggling a little bit and serving out in the net,” Glanz said of Knutson. “We just kept telling her to adjust and she figured it out. She is self-regulated.”

Hallak had five aces and a game-high 21 assists while Aberdeen freshman Emelia Kohn added six aces, six kills and went a perfect 12 for 12 from the service line.

Junior defensive specialist Daniela Alavez-Oropeza went 8 of 9 from the service line with an ace and had 10 digs to complement Knutson and Kohn for what was a stingy Aberdeen back line.

Cats senior outside hitter Hadley Lowery led all players with 11 kills.

As a team, Aberdeen went 88% from the service line (71-81) and had 25 aces.

“Our serving was spectacular tonight,” Glanz said. “We don’t really focus a lot on serving in practice. … But we’ve kind of been incorporating more technical serves. Our main thing is if you get a couple of good ones, readjust. Don’t go hog wild. That’s what we’ve had them start focusing on: Don’t get too ahead of yourself. Reel it in as you need to and adjust as you’re going.”

Hoquiam was led by setter Mya Standstipher with 17 assists and Katlyn Brodhead and Keren Parra with 12 and 11 digs, respectively.

RYAN SPARKS | THE DAILY WORLD Hoquiam’s Mya Standstipher prepares to serve during a match against Aberdeen on Thursday in Aberdeen.

But the Grizzlies were hampered by injuries and illness as Kennedy was battling a recent fever and an injury to senior middle blocker Sydney Gordon, who reaggravated a lingering ankle injury early in the first game and didn’t return until late in the fourth set.

“She is such a leader on the court. She knows every rotation and where everybody is supposed to be. She has been such a leader,” Hoquiam head coach Heather Bozich said of Gordon. “When we are so used to playing one way and then have to readjust everything, it’s mentally draining on the girls. When she went out, we had to make an adjustment and they won (Game 2) without her. But it’s hard not having her on the court when she is such a leader.”

For now, Bozich is just focused on getting her team healthy and back in a normal rotation for a team with, as she puts it, “a lot of new faces.”

“This is a very new team with new players in really big roles,” she said. “So it gets a little overwhelming for them. … Serve receive is one of those things where you have to be so dialed in that any little thing you have to switch up, it causes a strain when you are not used to who is where.”

Hoquiam hosts Rainier at 6:30 p.m. on Tuesday.

Aberdeen faces Elma at 6:30 p.m. Wednesday at Elma.

Hoquiam 18 25 12 15 – 1

Aberdeen 25 21 25 25 – 3

Leading players: Hoquiam – Brodhead (12 digs, 9-9 service, 2 aces, assist); Parra (11 digs, 5-6 service, ace, 2 kills); Kennedy (3 digs, 11-12 service, 2 aces, 6 kills); Standstipher (dig, 7-8 service, 2 aces, 17 assists); Aberle (8 digs, 5-6 service, ace); Kruger (2 digs, 10-12 service, 3 aces, kill); Stankavich (dig, 3-6 service, 3 aces, 2 kills); Gordon (3 kills); Burgess (6 kills, 6 kills). Aberdeen – Knutson (11 aces, 22-25 service, 16 digs, 3 kills, assist); Hallak (5 aces, 14-16 service, 21 assists, kill); Baker (2 aces, 10-12 service); Alavez-Oropeza (ace, 8-9 service, 10 digs); Williams (5-7 service, 2 blocks, 2 digs, 3 kills); Kohn (6 aces, 12-12 service, 5 digs, 6 kills); Ritter (2 blocks, kill); Lowery (11 kills); Turpin (kill).

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Rainier 3, Raymond-South Bend 0

Raymond-South Bend struggled in its first match of the season, losing 3-0 to Rainier on Thursday in Rainier.

The Ravens (0-1) lost 25-11, 25-17 and 25-14 against the hard-serving, hard-hitting Mountaineers.

“We looked a little inexperienced tonight, which is understandable,” RSB head coach Julie Jewell said. “We have new people in key positions. I anticipate a lot of growth from our young kids this season, but tonight we looked very green.”

The Ravens kept the match close early on, but had trouble getting into any type of rhythm.

“We were neck and neck with them for a while, but then struggled on defense and serve receive and couldn’t get our offense going,” Jewell said.

Kassie Koski and Ava Baugher had five kills apiece while Macey Enlow went 13 for 13 in service.

Jewell commended Koski for her consistent passing, Baugher for having a 100% service rate, and Jordynn Sedy and Liz Lewis for “showing great hustle.”

The Ravens play at the Centerville Invitational on Saturday at Centralia High School.

The Ravens junior varsity team won 2-0 over Rainier JV on Thursday.

Raymond-South Bend 11 17 14 – 0

Rainier 25 25 25 – 3

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PHOTO BY FOREST WORGUM The North Beach Hyaks celebrate a 3-2 win over Elma on Thursday at Elma High School.

Other games

North Beach 3, Elma 2

Adna 3, Montesano 1

Naselle 3, Wishkah Valley 0

Taholah 3, Mary M. Knight 0