In their five-set match against the Centralia Trailblazers on October 18, 2024, the Lower Columbia Red Devils displayed resilience but came up short with a 2-3 loss. The Red Devils took the first set comfortably at 25-15, but faltered in the second and third sets, losing 14-25 and 15-25. They bounced back in the fourth set with a 25-16 win but couldn't seal the victory in the fifth set, losing 9-15.
Key players for Lower Columbia included
Samantha Farland, who led the offense with 13 kills on 49 total attempts, hitting at a .143 percentage. She also contributed two service aces and four digs, scoring 15 points overall.
Kenny Collins added 11 kills, but her offensive performance was offset by 12 attack errors, giving her a negative hitting percentage of -.020. Collins also contributed defensively with 17 digs.
Lillian Halberg and
Madi Noel were defensive stalwarts, recording 17 and 28 digs respectively. Noel also handled a significant portion of the passing duties with 23 reception attempts and only three errors.
Charissa Schierman added 13 assists and 3 kills, while
Delaney Fortelney had a well-rounded performance with 3 service aces, 3 kills, and 14 digs.
In total, the Red Devils had 37 kills and 31 errors on 175 attempts, leading to a team hitting percentage of just .034. They registered 35 assists and 95 digs, showing solid defensive play but struggled with attack efficiency and unforced errors, especially in the later sets.
Despite strong individual efforts and a solid start, Lower Columbia was ultimately outplayed, particularly in the crucial fifth set, where Centralia's blocking and offense pushed them ahead.
The Red Devils are on the road again for their match. This time with a trip to Des Moines, WA to face the West leading Highline Thunderbirds at Highline College on Wednesday, October 23. First serve is scheduled for 6:00 pm. The Devils will then be back on the home court on Friday, Ocotber 25, vs the Green River Gators.
