LYNDEN — Exactly one year ago, Lynden Christian’s (LC) volleyball team was 3-3. The Lyncs, which eventually went on to finish second in the 1A state tournament, wouldn’t play again for two weeks due to rampant COVID-19 cases within the team.
The 2021 Lyncs team entered the state tournament at 9-7. This season, the team is off to an 8-2 start, now bolstered by a sweep of rival Nooksack Valley (25-23, 25-19, 25-22).
“Last year we had two 10-day breaks, which is insane,” said Kristy VanEgdom, LC’s head coach. “I think last year it probably would have been pretty similar, but they didn’t let us show up.”
LC graduated four seniors but retained a lot of valuable talent. The experience those players gained during the 2021 postseason was on full display versus the Pioneers Wednesday night.
“[This win] shows how hard we’ve worked, and it just shows the effort and how we play for each other,” LC’s senior libero Sofia Rader said.
It was a gritty victory for the Lyncs who frequently trailed NV in all three sets. When it came time to close each one out, LC rose to the challenge.
The first set was as tightly contested as it gets. Neither team possessed a lead larger than four, and they were knotted up at nine different points throughout the frame. Incredibly poised, quick-reaction digs highlighted the set for both teams, leading to exciting volleys.
LC senior outside hitter Reganne Arnold was frequent on the attack, and her game-high 16 kills in just three sets proved she was the best offensive player on the court.
“We’ve been really focused on being in the present, because we know we’re not going to get this back,” Arnold said. “We’ve been blessed with this team.”
Rader finished off the first frame with an ace on the Lyncs’ first opportunity to close it out.
The second set was the most dominant for LC. After trailing the Pioneers 10-9, the Lyncs strung together a 10-3 run. On the longer volleys, Rader and senior setter Kenadi Korthuis were putting their bodies on the line time and time again to dig difficult balls. Nothing came easy for the Pioneers.
Senior middle blocker Avery Lenssen scored the Lyncs’ final two points of the set — first on a tough block followed by a kill. LC won the second set by six.
The lead changed hands five times in the third frame. As it had all game, the pendulum continued to swing. However, it always stopped at some point along its path on the Lyncs’ side of the court.
LC built up a late four-point lead that quickly dissolved after an impressive string of finishes by NV. The Lyncs took a timeout — leading 22-21 — after two straight points by the Pioneers. They responded with two of their own, punctuated on a block by junior middle blocker Tabby DeJong to send it to a match point.
The Pioneers got one more. On the ensuing volley, an NV net violation would end the match in favor of the Lyncs. NV head coach Katie Emmons said she felt like her team was playing to not lose, instead of playing to win.
“I don’t think we were playing one point at a time,” Emmons said. “I think that we were trying to look at the end goal, which was winning, but not focusing on the point at hand.”
Emmons added they will be working especially hard on their serve-receive game. They have hitters, they just need to get them in a viable position to attack.
In addition to her kill total, Arnold finished with 12 digs and five aces. Rader totaled 16 digs and an ace, while Korthuis had 14 digs and an ace. Lenssen tallied eight kills, three digs and two blocks.
For the Pioneers, junior outside hitter Lainey Kimball totaled nine kills and 13 digs. Senior outside hitter Hallie Kamphouse finished with 14 digs and four kills. Junior setter Devin Coppinger had 10 assists, four kills and two digs.
Next up for the Lyncs is a date with conference-leading Burlington-Edison (7-1 overall, 6-0 NWC) on the road at 7 p.m. on Oct. 3. The Pioneers will stay home to face Sedro-Woolley (2-3 overall, 2-3 NWC) on Oct. 3, also at 7 p.m.
