Women's Volleyball
Women’s Volleyball Update –
per a request by South Puget Sound, the match on Nov. 6 has been rescheduled for Nov. 15.
Falling to Pierce
Nov. 8 – The Thunderbirds traveled to Pierce College, ranked #2 in the latest NWAC Coaches Poll, and fell to the Raiders in four sets (29-27, 16-25, 22-25, 20-25. Alicia Nguyen led Highline with 18 kills with Kiki Troy recording 38 assists and April Talaiga with 36 digs. Pierce had three players in double-figure kills, led by Kava Durr with 14. Hattey Smith had 38 assists and Ainslee Eberle had 25 digs. The loss leaves the team at 16-5 for the season and 8-2 in league play, with a playoff spot secured with two matches left in the regular season.
April Talaiga (center), here in action against Tacoma, had 36 digs against Pierce.
Women’s Volleyball
Toppling the Titans
Nov. 2 – The Thunderbirds dispatched the Tacoma Titans in four sets (25-15, 22-25, 25-21, 25-14) at the Highline Pavilion in a Wednesday night contest. Alicia Nguyen, with 24 kills, led both teams and added 30 digs, two behind the 32 of April Talaiga. Kiana Troy, as usual, led the team with 41 sets. The T-Birds, ranked #4 in the latest NWAC Coaches Poll, improve to 16-4 for the season, 8-1 in league, and in 2nd place in the NWAC West Division, trailing Pierce and ahead of Lower Columbia.
Kylie Lunday with a kill against Tacoma.
Thumping the Trailblazers
Oct. 23 – Highline traveled south down I-5 to take on the Centralia Trailblazers and drove back with a 3-1 win (25-11, 25-14, 25-27, 25-13). Alicia Nguyen led the Thunderbirds with 12 kills, 8 service aces, and 9 digs while Kiki Troy had 21 assists. Centralia’s Kelli Born and Olivia Mitten each had 6 kills with Madelynn Skinner adding 26 assists.
Highline now stands at 14-4 for the season and 6-1 in league play, one game behind first place Pierce. The team travels to Green River on Oct. 30 before returning home to take on Tacoma on Nov. 1.
Kiki Troy averages over 7 assists a game for Highline.
Bending But Not Breaking
Highline Holds Off a Lower Columbia Comeback
Oct. 16 – for a while it looked like an easy victory over a good team. The Lower Columbia Red Devils visited 4th ranked Highline sporting a 20-10 season record (4-1 in league) but it was the T-Birds whojumped off early, winning the first two sets 25-13, 25-14. Then Highline went up by five points halfway in the third set and it seemed pretty much over. However, the Red Devils had other ideas. They went on a streak to quickly catch up and pass Highline on the way to a 25-23 third set win. And with the momentum firmly on their side, Lower Columbia jumped off to a quick lead in the fourth set. But Highline caught its collective breath and regained control of the set, winning it 25-21 and taking the match 3-1. With the win the Thunderbirds stand at 13-4 for the season (5-1 in league). Alicia Nguyen, playing with a sore hip from a hard hit on the floor, led a balanced Highline attack with 13 kills,
Highline in action against Lower Columbia.
followed by Cheyenne Whitebird and Misiona Riberio with 11 kills apiece. Kiani Troy had 43 assists and Nguyen, along with her kills, had 25 digs, followed by April Talaiga with 24 digs. Kiana Scott led Lower Columbia with 9 kills, Camryn Wilson had 20 digs, and Karsyn Zaragoza recorded 17 digs.
The team gets a week off before traveling to Centralia on Oct. 23.
2019 Women Volleyball Team
Back (L-R): April Talaiga, Kiani Troy, Alicia Nguyen, Misiona Ribeiro, Kylie Lunday
Front (L-R): Madison Maafala, Kiani Hensley, Love Berrett, Cheyenne Whitebird, Kahea Lee
Not Pictured: Taecia Akana