LONGVIEW, Wash. — Lower Columbia defeated Centralia 3-0 (25-21, 25-21, 25-15) on Wednesday. LCC finished with 42 kills and a .269 hitting percentage while holding Centralia to 31 kills and a .109 mark.
After Chesney Schultz's kill and Karissa Otterstetter's ace tied the opening set at 2-2, Centralia scored the next six points behind consecutive Rylyn Kaopuiki-Kaikaina aces and kills from Meleseini Hutchings and Jada Whitmore to move in front 8-2. The Red Devils came out of a timeout with points from a Centralia error, Schultz, Ella Eib, a Schultz ace and Ashlin Lockman to get within 9-7, then tied it at 10-10 on Kendall Humphrey's kill, moved ahead 12-10 on a Centralia error and Eib kill, and held a 13-11 edge after Lauretta Vasi-Tauki'uvea's kill. LCC later led 21-16 after kills by Lockman, Eib and Vasi-Tauki'uvea, but Centralia scored four straight, including two Charlie Hansen kills, to close within 21-20. The Red Devils answered out of a timeout with two Centralia attack errors, and after Natalie Armerding's kill, Eib's kill and a final Centralia attack error closed the set 25-21.
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Centralia scored the first two points of the second set on Jada Whitmore kills, but LCC answered with kills from Humphrey and Vasi-Tauki'uvea, and Vasi-Tauki'uvea's third early kill put the Red Devils ahead 5-4. The teams traded points through 14-14 before Humphrey's kill, a Kamryn Sande service ace and a Centralia attack error gave LCC a 17-14 lead after a Centralia timeout. Centralia pulled within 17-16 on a Jada Whitmore block and a Natalie Armerding ace, but Schultz and Lockman answered with kills to move the score to 19-16. The Red Devils stayed in front behind late kills from Lockman and Centralia errors, closing the set 25-21. Lockman's performance included a season high of 13 kills.
LCC worked ahead in the third set with early kills from Humphrey, Vasi-Tauki'uvea and Schultz, reaching 12-6 before Centralia called timeout. Centralia narrowed the gap to 13-10 behind a Rylyn Kaopuiki-Kaikaina service ace, a Jada Whitmore block and a Whitmore kill. The Red Devils answered with eight straight points from 13-10 to 21-10, a run that included kills by Lockman, Eib and Schultz, a Sande ace and three Centralia attack errors. Sande's defensive prowess was highlighted by her 17 digs, surpassing her season average of 14.7. After Centralia used late kills by Whitmore and Meleseini Hutchings to get to 23-15, a Centralia service error brought set point and Vasi-Tauki'uvea's block on Alecia Steele closed the 25-15 set win.
LCC top performers
- Team-high 13 kills
- .500 hitting percentage
- 13.0 points
- 30 assists
- 7 digs
- 1 service ace
- 1 block assist
- Team-high 17 digs
- 2 service aces
- 2 assists
- 9 kills
- .643 hitting percentage
- 2 blocks, including 1 solo
- 10.5 points
- 8 kills
- 14 digs
- 2 assists
Schultz's six-point contribution in the game brought her season total to 104, surpassing the 100-point mark.
Up next, the Red Devils host South Puget Sound Community College on Friday, Oct. 2, at 6 p.m. at Myklebust Gymnasium in Longview, Washington.
LCC is 10-4 overall and 4-0 in conference play.
Centralia is 12-10 overall and 3-2 in conference play.
