Hardware the Hard Way!
Bellevue Battles to Highest State Finish on Record
Demonstrating the resolve that makes this team special, the Wolverines powered through three 5-set matches and another long 4-set match to capture 6th place in the WIAA State Volleyball Tournament. In doing so, the Wolverines secured a state volleyball trophy for the first time in at least 22 years.
Bellevue started the tournament with a thrilling 5-set win over Arlington on Friday afternoon. They got off to a slow start, losing the first two sets, but came roaring back to win the final 3 games including a 15-12 win in the final set. For details and pictures, please see Arlington.
In the evening match against Capital, Bellevue gave the Cougars all they could handle, but ended up losing a heartbreaker 3-2. The last game, like so many in the Wolverines' season, went over-time before the Cougars finished it off 16-14. For details and pictures, please see Capital.
The first match on Saturday was against Timberline, and the winner would assure themselves of finishing at least 6th. After a back and forth match and a 2-2 set score, the Wolverines came out firing in game 5 and finished it off 15-7. For details and pictures, see Timberline.
Bellevue played Gig Harbor, a team that was ranked #1 in the state for much of the year, for 5th place on Saturday afternoon. The Wolverines fought hard, but ultimately lost the match in 4 games. For details and pictures, please see Gig Harbor.
The Bellevue Wolverines finished of the season with the sixth place trophy. But a trophy alone can’t explain their accomplishments. Several times during the year they could have folded late in games but it was usually the Wolverines showing their grit and taking the victory. This was truly a team effort, and even those players who did not receive a lot of playing time were equally important members of this team with positive attitudes, energy, and hard work. You deserve as much of that trophy as anyone else. Thank you to the coaches for leading the way this season. Your countless hours of dedication are much appreciated. To the parents and fans that followed the team all year and to those that made the trip to Kennewick, your cheering and support were vital in keeping the girls energized. Sadly, we bid adieu to our Seniors Emily Kowalski, Ally Witham, and Emily Burns. We thank you for all you have done for the program and you will always fondly remember this experience for years to come. With the amazing performances of our C and JV teams this year and the fact the Varsity is loaded with underclassmen, the future is so bright for this program. To the returning players, have a great offseason working on your game and we will see you next year as we look to improve on that 6th place finish!
Banquet Wraps Up Season in Style
Players, Coaches, and their families gathered on Wednesday, November 9 to celebrate one of the strongest years in Bellevue volleyball history. The slide shows, stories, and paper plates helped bring the season to life, and reminded everyone how lucky we are to be part of such a great program. All of the players received accolades and certificates for their contributions, and the coaches were honored by their teams. In addition, retiring Booster Board president Lynne Witham received a nice gift and a standing O for her tireless efforts on behalf of Bellevue Wolverine Volleyball. HUGE thanks to the banquet organizing committee of Sarah Conroy, Milena Dedijer, Colleen O'Donnell, and Lynne Witham for organizing such a great finale to the season.
Varsity
MVP
Callie Weber and Alexis Khuu
Defensive Player of the Year
Sophia Knapp
Most Improved Player
Naomi Chen-Mallouk
Sportsmanship Award
Emily Burns
JV
MVP
Julia Bray
Defensive Player of the Year
Carly Burns
Most Improved Player
Mason Mukhar
JV
MVP
Julia Bray
Defensive Player of the Year
Carly Burns
Most Improved Player
Mason Mukhar
C Team
MVP
Sofia Larrondo
Defensive Player of the Year
Livie McQuain
Most Improved Player
Audrey Miner
Wolverines Garner Kingco Honors
All-Kingco and All-Scholar Awards Announced
1st Team All League
Alexis Khuu (Setter) Junior
Callie Weber (OH) Junior
Honorable Mention All League
Ally Witham (OPP) Senior
Holly Huard (OH) Junior
All-Scholar Senior Awards (3.75 or higher GPA)
Ally Witham
Emily Kowalski
Wolverine JV and C Teams Take Titles
JV Squad Goes Undefeated in Kingco
The Wolverine volleyball pipeline is looking strong, as both the Junior Varsity and C Teams won their respective divisions in 2016.
The JV team swept Redmond in a bit of an odd match that featured several Bellevue rotation violations, some confused reffing, and an unlikely comeback by Redmond in Game 2. In any event, our players stayed focused and won in straight sets, 25-14 and 25-20. Overall, the JV squad finished 14-0 against Kingco competition (28-2 in set score) and appeared to be having a very good time in the process. Great job JV team and Coach P!
Not to be outdone, the C Team swept to victory against Redmond and claimed the Kingco title with an overall record of 12-2. Congratulations to the C team and Coach Loretta! We're looking forward to great things from all of these players in the future.
JV vs. Redmond
C vs. Redmond