After earning their schools first volleyball state victory in over 20 years, Bellevue had the task of taking on the #6 ranked Capital Cougars out of Olympia. Capital comes into state with only three losses and two of those were to #1 ranked Gig Harbor. The game was supposed to start at 8:15 but because of close games on that court, we didn’t tip off until around 9:30.

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A couple of Huard kills tied the game at 3-3 before Capital took the lead. A Weber kill closed the gap to 12-18 but game one looked to be going to the Cougars. BHS didn’t give up and a Knapp ace, Weber Kill, and Witham crush closed the gap. A Kennan kill made it 19-20. A Witham ace was followed by two Weber kills. Emily Burns followed a ball passed the end line and Huard finished off game one, 25-22. BHS closed on a 10-2 run to steal game one.

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Bellevue held the early lead in game two. Weber had two kills and a block on consecutive plays to put BHS up 11-8. Capital dug deep and went on a 2-9 run to go up 13-17. There was no more late magic and Capital takes game 2, 18-25.

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After a Witham kill tied game three at 4-4, Capital took over the lead. Huard got three straight kills to close the gap at 21-22 but that was as close as it would get and CHS wins it, 22-25.

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Game four belonged to Callie Weber. After two early aces, she got kills on four straight points to put BHS up 14-11. Capital tied the game at 19. Witham killed the next point and Huard dealt an ace to go up 21-19. Khuu back set Witham for a crush to go up 23-21 and earn Khuu the serve. Khuu took the game into her own hands and didn’t give them a chance with two aces to give BHS the 25-21 victory.

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The Toyota center had four courts set up for this event, but at 11:30 at night it was only Bellevue and Capital still playing. The winning team in game five would place no worse than fourth and would set up a date with Lakeside in the semifinals. A Weber kill stopped an early CHS run earning Keenan the serve. She served four points that included two aces and BHS was up 6-3. Witham got back to back tips to put Bellevue up 10-8. A Witham ace at 12-10 produced a Cougar time out. The arena DJ decided to treat the fans with some music during time outs (I wouldn’t be surprised if some YouTube videos of some of the moms dancing surface). Weber got a back row smash and it was 13-11. The next Capital spike hits the tape on the back line. Their next hit was the same on the side line. The Cougars then tip it over the block and you guessed it, it hits the line for three straight points to go up 13-14. A Weber kill tied it at 14. Bellevue blocked the next hit and the ball travelled across the top of the net falling on the CHS side, but falling just out.  The next point was almost a mirror image as the Capital spike rides the tape this time falling on the BHS side just in for a 14-16 final.

 

Capital’s last five points could have just as easily went Bellevue’s way but that’s volleyball. The clock had struck midnight (literally) on the Wolverines as they headed back to the hotel to get some sleep before an 11:00am game the next day.

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