Arley Bosler and Coupeville’s C-Team won its match Thursday afternoon. (Julie Wheat photo)
The home finale was a barnburner.
Defending their home court for the last time this season, the Coupeville Middle School volleyball squads clashed with visiting Sultan Thursday, nabbing a win and a pair of close losses.
The day was supposed to start with the C-Team playing first, but things got flipped at the last second, with varsity going first.
That change made for an extended warmup period.
Add it to an intense first match, filled to the brim with multiple time-outs and long rallies, and the clock ran out on me after just two sets, as the high school spikers were about to begin their clash with La Conner across the hallway.
Before I left, the varsity squads split the first two sets, with Sultan taking the opener 25-16, before Coupeville rebounded to snatch frame #2 by a 25-23 score.
Without my rear being abused by the rock-hard bleachers in the middle school gym, the Turks pulled out a 15-12 victory in the deciding set.
Zariyah Allen and Rhylee Inman came up big for the Wolves in the early going, with the former slicing off Sultan arms with wicked kills and the latter soaring into the air to establish a no-fly zone for the Turks at the net.
Toss in a sweet lil’ tip from Cameron Van Dyke, sending a rival sprawling to the floor, and winners from Reagan Green and Jade Peabody, and CMS was on point.
Unfortunately, an 11-6 lead evaporated as Sultan, powered by a mighty masher in the middle of its offense, closed the set on a 19-5 tear.
The second set featured nine ties before the Wolves pulled away for the win.
Inman, to the delight of a large personal fan section, was on fire at the net (and on her serve), while Allen and Faith Rivers also peppered the Turk defense while firing off serves.
The Wolves built a 19-14 lead, Sultan got back to 20-20, then CMS put the hammer down.
The Turks fought off two set points, but Coupeville sent me out of the smaller gym surrounded by the victorious screaming of teen girls by holding on to eke out the set win.
Without me in the middle school gym, the Wolf JV fell 21-25, 26-24, 15-8, while the C-Team nabbed its first win of the season, bouncing the Turks 25-22, 25-21, 10-15.
“The girls were resilient,” said CMS coach Shaloma Allen.
“I’m proud of how far they have come this season,” she added. “The energy stayed high, and I was proud of each one of them.”
Coupeville ends its season with back-to-back road trips to Lakewood and South Whidbey Oct. 21-22.
Coupeville Sports 