Siuslaw loses pair of non-league matches on the road, Mapleton Swept at Riddle

Sept. 15, 2021 — 

The Vikings had a rough time on the road last week, dropping both of their non-league matches.

On Sept. 8, Siuslaw lost a tight game to Pleasant Hill. The Vikings won sets one and two but then lost the last three to lose 2-3.

Junior Desi Tupua led the team with 6 aces and 15 kills.

“Desi had a really amazing night. She passed really well and was instrumental in the front row.  She knows the game so well and it shows in her play,” said Siuslaw Coach Kari Blake.

A pair of freshmen also had great nights. Mylee Blake had 7 kills and 4 blocks and Rihanna Lane had 6 kills and 4 blocks.

Blake also highlighted the play of senior Zoe Alberty.

“Zoe Alberty was a leader on the court the entire match. She did a great job at keeping the team positive and had great communication on the floor,” the coach said.

Blake also gave credit to the team’s opponent.

“Pleasant Hill was a scrappy team, and they were able to find the weak spots in our defense and used that to come out on top.  It was a hard fought match by both teams, and it was a fun game to watch,” Blake said. “I thought all of the Siuslaw girls ran the floor well and we came away from the match knowing what we need to work on for our future games.

Siuslaw Volleyball also lost on Saturday night, 0-3 to North Bend.

North Bend is a much larger 5A school and presented quite a challenge for the Vikings.

“Overall, the girls played a really smart game and were able to run with North Bend nearly the whole match,” said Blake.

Though disappointed by the loss, the coach was not disappointed by the performance of her players.

“Senior Hayden Muller had a standout performance in the back row with multiple digs and perfect passes against a team with really strong hitters,” said Blake. “

Freshman Rhianna Lane also had an outstanding night with 9 kills and 6 blocks to lead the Vikings. Juniors Tupua and Hailee Outlaw also had good nights, with 8 and 7 blocks respectively.  Senior Alizabeth Norton had a great performance at the net with 5 blocks on the night. 

Siuslaw is next on the court Saturday at a tournament in Sisters.

In other volleyball action, Mapleton was swept in two games at Riddle High School on Saturday. The Sailors, a 1A team, played up a division as both games were against 2A schools.

Mapleton lost 0-3 to Riddle, the home team. They also lost 0-3 to Myrtle Point.

The Sailors played Tuesday night versus Crow after press deadlines. Their next game is Thursday at Mountain West Conference foe Mohawk at 6 p.m.