4A State Volleyball | Genger powers Kentwood
KENNEWICK - Jessie Genger has become Kentwood’s big gun on the volleyball court.
So there was little doubt who would be pulling the trigger when the Conquerors faced their biggest showdown of the year.
Genger came up with a cannon kill to end Game 3 and a suffocating block for match point as the second-ranked Conquerors pulled out a thrilling victory over Skyview of Vancouver on Friday in the quarterfinals of the Class 4A state tournament at the Toyota Center. Game scores were 25-20, 22-25, 28-26, 26-24.
“Maybe that’s why she’s the league MVP,” coach Bil Caillier said of Genger, recently voted player of the year in the South Puget Sound League 4A North Division. “If there’s an opportunity for her to lead, she’s going to do it.”
Kentwood (34-0) plays No. 9 Lewis and Clark of Spokane (24-7) in a semifinal match today at 3:30 p.m. L-C, last year’s runner-up, came from behind to knock off No. 3 Kamiak of Mukilteo, 25-27, 25-21, 17-25, 25-16, 15-11. It was a match the Knights appeared to have in control several times.
“It was just a heartbreaker,” Kamiak coach Debra Crawford said.
The other semifinal pits top-ranked Mead of Spokane (33-1), the four-time defending champion, against No. 5 Rogers of Puyallup (28-5-2).
“We’ve been wanting that game all season,” Rogers coach Mandy Flores-Handley said.
Mead, which was shaky at times in its first-round victory over Inglemoor, looked solid against No. 7 Curtis of University Place in the quarterfinals, winning 25-9, 26-24, 25-16. Rogers rolled early against No. 10 Bothell, but the Cougars went down swinging, 25-20, 25-13, 20-25, 25-23.
“We played our hearts out,” said senior Mandy Saintz said, who had 12 kills and 16 digs.
She said she is confident her team can come back and beat Curtis today to earn a trophy.
The quarterfinal victory was a big hurdle for the Conquerors, who had stumbled in that round the previous two years - both times to Mead. Last year’s loss proved to be the lone blemish on Kentwood’s record.
Genger, a junior who finished with 18 kills and three blocks, admitted the Conquerors were nervous. They lost a game for only the fourth time all season.
“I think we played like we were scared, but we worked through it,” she said.
Junior Lauren Campbell also had a big match with 21 kills and 15 digs, while Rianna Venn added nine kills and setter Stephanie Shumaker piled up a season-high 53 assists.
Kentwood opened the tournament with a businesslike victory over No. 8 Woodinville, 25-13, 25-14, 25-11. Woodinville coach Chris Pratt was impressed.
“They looked good,” he said. “I would anticipate them advancing pretty far.”
Tonight’s championship match is at 8 p.m.
Mead, which lost its only match of the season in a California tournament, is feeling some pressure.
“You just want to live up to the expectations,” senior Meg Ryan said. “We don’t want to let anyone down.”
These seniors have never lost at state.
“You don’t want to be the one that has it end,” Emma Olgard said.
All of Friday’s first-round losers don’t play again until this morning and can finish no better than fifth place. In loser-out games today, Woodinville plays Kentlake at 9 a.m., Monroe faces Puyallup at 10:30 a.m. and Edmonds-Woodway and Inglemoor also square off at 10:30 a.m.