Coupeville Sports

Big hitters Hailey Hammer and Madeline Strasburg (second and third from right) weren’t quite as friendly Thursday, as they rained down spikes on Granite Falls. (Melissa Zimmerman-Losey photo)

Toni Crebbin was wearing boots Thursday and her Wolves (eventually) walked all over Granite Falls.

It took five nail-biting sets, one epic comeback that fell just short (but didn’t matter in the end), assorted sinus-clearing blasts from big hitters Bessie Walstad, Hailey Hammer and air-walking Madeline “I Will Destroy This Ball!” Strasburg and a little luck.

When the last Hammer spike exploded off of the Coupeville High School gymnasium floor, some two plus hours after Senior Night festivities had kicked off with tears, flowers and balloons, and a few more tears, the Wolves and their coach had a hard-earned 25-19, 23-25, 25-19, 21-25, 15-11 victory.

Any tears at that point were merely of the happy variety.

Coupeville’s second win in three matches, coming with solid play from the entire 11-woman roster, would seem to herald good things right as the Wolves get ready for a playoff run.

Early on, it looked like it might be a short evening, as Coupeville ran out to a 13-4 lead in the first set and coasted in from there, never relinquishing the lead.

The high point came in the middle of the set, as Amanda Fabrizi sprayed hard-to-return serves over the net and the Wolves put together three especially nice plays in a row — a big hit and a stuff block by Walstad on consecutive plays, then a gorgeous tip from Strasburg, who was just warming up for her later power display.

Things soured for a bit in the second set, as this time it was the Wolves turn to fall behind 13-4. Then came an unexpected rally, as Coupeville surged back to a 23-22 lead with Breeanna Messner raining down precision tips just out of her opponents grasp, only to see the comeback suddenly fall apart at the crucial moment.

After exchanging several epic rallies, with both teams repeatedly diving madly in pursuit of loose balls (Fabrizi bounced off the giant Wolf logo on the back wall, while Strasburg went tip-toeing into the bleachers at one point), the match threatened to turn on a single point late in the fourth set.

With Hammer off on a tear at the service stripe and Coupeville charging, a Wolf tip that should have been in was called out by the back judge, who apparently was blinded by his gaudy Oak Harbor High School letterman’s jacket and unable to see clearly.

But, just as things threatened to get desperate, enter Coupeville’s secret weapon, sophomore outside hitter (and the only person who didn’t look tired at that point), one Madeline Strasburg. Launching herself airborne and unleashing deadly, kneecap-slicing shots that zipped across the top of the net and then exploded in people’s faces, she rallied the troops on a night that honored her elders.

Overcome by the sheer power display of Strasburg and Hammer, and a few well-placed shots from old fogies Walstad and Messner, the Tigers crumbled from there and the party was on one more time for the Wolves.