VOLLEYBALL | Wolves’ two-match winning streak comes to end

South Kitsap suffers 25-13, 25-15, 25-17 setback at Timberline

LACEY — South Kitsap remained winless against the four teams ahead of it in the Class 4A Narrows League standings.

The Wolves’ losing streak against those squads extended to 18 sets with a 25-13, 25-15, 25-17 loss Tuesday night at Timberline.

“It was a little frustrating,” South coach CJ Scott said. “More mental lapses than anything. People out of position.

“They tipped us to death. That’s something we’ve worked on a lot and we do well in practice. For some reason we can’t consistently get them up in the games and you should be able to. If you read them it should be easy.”

South (3-7) entered the match with a two-match winning streak. But the Wolves only held brief leads in the first and third sets against the Blazers (7-3).

“We need to get the mental part of the game down,” Scott said. “That’s something we struggle with sometimes as far as knowing where to be and where to react in different situations. It takes time and we’ll get there.”

He continued with the strategic adjustment that was made before the Oct. 14 match at Yelm. Scott shifted the alignment from a 6-2 to a 5-1 scheme, which features one setter. Scott said he also reduced the team’s rotation from 11 to “eight or nine.”

Sophomore Tia Lawrence, who had a team-high 12 digs at Timberline, shifted to outside hitter.

“It’s definitely a big change from back row to hitting outside,” Lawrence said. “I like it.”

Scott said the youthful Wolves — only seniors Zoe Conger and Shannon Laupola entered the season with substantial varsity experience — still are adjusting. He noted the team struggles to score at times.

“That’s one of our biggest bugaboos,” he said. “We need to put the ball away. When you give good teams several opportunities it makes it difficult.”

But both Lawrence and Scott said the team has displayed significant improvement since the beginning of the season.

“We’ve grown so much from the beginning of the year from our digs to our sets to our covering,” Lawrence said.

South has just two regular-season matches remaining. The Wolves play Thursday at Gig Harbor and then travel Tuesday to Olympia. South already has clinched a berth in the league tournament and needs one win there to advance to the 4A West Central District Tournament.

“That’s our goal,” Scott said. “That’s what we’re going to keep shooting for.”