Power League - April
SILVER DIVISION
April 10, 2005 @ Albany Boys & Girls Club - Albany, OR

The 12's Black hit the court running in the morning and never looked back as they won every match on their way to claiming the Silver Division at Power League. This team has learned how to win by being aggressive and they used it to their advantage to dominate their opponents. What a way to end their season!

Against the number one team in their pool, Mac Jrs. Black, Black took it to them with tough serving from Kylie Moses and Amanda Littlefield. Their serves gave Mac Jrs. fits in serve receive. Both Kylie and Amanda rocked other teams on their heels with numerous aces and hard serves all day long. Black started out somewhat tentative with the long spring break, but quickly picked up the momentum. At libero, Sarilee Rybar set the tone for Black's awesome serve receive that didn't let other team's servers get going. Sarilee enjoys her role of coming in constantly to give the team the consistent, reliable passing to set up an attack. Black won that match in two games.

Next, Black faced a team they had never beaten in Lakeside Blue. By then, Black was on a roll and confident in playing their power game. Rachel Morrow was moving all over the front-row keeping the ball in play and stuffing opponents. Alexis Vogel was on a tear at the serving line and kept the other team guessing with a great top-spin. As in every tournament, Alexis picked up her play in each match and the tougher the match, the tougher Alexis played in being aggressive in defense and at the net. Black also won this match in two games.

Tillamook VBC was next up and Black continued to attack with gusto and take the match in two games again. Sarilee moved to outside hitter and had several good attacks at the net, Jane Forman was playing aggressive all-around, and Rachel served effectively.

In the first bracket game, Black was matched up against North Clackamas Silver, another difficult team to play against as they passed the ball back very quickly. We lost the first game 11-25. But, Black didn't get down or discouraged. Coming back with determination, and the leadership of the setters Kylie and Erin Bate to set up every ball and attack, Black dominated in the second game 25-11. Kylie and Erin worked as a team all day and made the difficult balls into a nice set for the hitters to attack ... and Jill Isaacson started hitting at every opportunity. Jill is attacking with authority, plus she is valuable all over the court to cover tips and soft shots. She has the valuable ability to read and anticipate the opponent's attacks. Tierney Uhlenkott came in at middle and used that opportunity to put many balls down for kills plus adding numerous ace serves. Tierney has developed a hard-hitting attack at the net. In the third game, Black used their momentum to win going away 15-4.

The Championship Match: A little case of the jitters kept the first game interesting as Black had to come back to take the win. Jill got going on a string of serves and with a key kill by Jane, Black took the first game 25-22. In the second game, Rachel had a great stuff block to start the momentum and behind the awesome serving of the whole team, plus defense that kept the ball from hitting the floor, Black took the second game 25-11. This team had so many awesome defensive saves to keep the ball in play. On one play, it was great to see three girls on the floor not letting a ball drop. Kylie and Erin were tireless in their efforts to keep every ball in play, scrambling after everything. Amanda had a great day as she played tough under pressure and led the team with smart plays. Overall, the day's success was a total team effort. Black always plays with enthusiasm and total support for each other and they realize it takes the whole team working together unselfishly to be successful.

It has been such a enjoyable season for the coaches with this exceptional group of hard-working athletes. They will definitely be a success in their future volleyball careers. Plus, Black could not have asked for a greater group of supportive parents. Thank you!

Cascade Volleyball Tournament
March 20, 2005 @ Ballard HS - Seattle, WA

The 12 Black team had an exciting weekend of volleyball!

It's always a little different playing in Seattle with their rules. Normally the 12's get to serve in 6 feet closer but here they serve the regular distance so that was an adjustment for the girls to make. As they got used to it, they liked it.

In pool play, Black began by splitting with the number one team in their pool, UP Dream Team Red, one of the top teams in the Puget Sound Region.  The scores were 25-12, 11-25. (Two different teams showed up for that game.)  In the second pool match, Black split with Sudden Impact Monsoon 20-25, 25-20. Finally getting their serve in consistently, Black finished pool play by cruising to a win over Blue Crush 25-9, 25-8.

After much tabulating of the results of the 3 pools, Black squeaked into the top bracket with a sixth seed. Of course, that put them into a first-round bracket match against UP Dream Team Red. Things didn't look good as Black dropped the first game 21-25. Rachel Morrow made the difference in the second game with a monster block on their good hitter which changed the momentum and intimidated their hitters into changing their game. Black kept up that momentum with great passes off their hitters from Sarilee Rybar and outstanding saves from Alexis Vogel in defense. Alexis had outstanding all-around play throughout the bracket matches. This led to a 25-21 win in the second game, and a third game play-off. This final game was featured outstanding team play, and Black triumphed with a 15-12 win. It was so exciting to win a close, hard-fought match! Black's setters Erin Bate and Kylie Moses shone in bracket play with their desire to set up every ball so the hitters could get a good swing. They worked as a team scrambling all over the court to make tough sets and taking the leadership role on the court.

Playing Olympia White, Black took an easy 25-15 first game. Then we experienced a bit of a let-down in the second game as Black let it get away 23-25. Back to that third game again! Behind a string of tough serves and steady back-row play of Tierney Uhlenkott, Black won it 15-8. Jane Forman had the final kill in that third game that was a beauty.

That set up the Championship match against highly-regarded Olympia Blue, another top team in the Puget Sound Region. This was a close match against some very tough servers, but Black prevailed to win the first game 25-22. Amanda Littlefield had an awesome put-back kill in that game, as she leapt sky-high and put the ball down. Jill Isaacson was also attacking continually at the net plus serving strong in every game all day. Hannah Johnson came in to set for the Championship game and was great with such pretty sets. Then in the second game, she started serving with 3 aces to set the tone for the match. Then Tierney came in to shut them down with a barrage of tough serves.  Black went on to win the second game 25-8, and were crowned Tournament Champions!

It was great to see all the rallies, saves, dives, hard hits and smart plays by this super group of athletes. It was a total team effort with every girl contributing each and every time they stepped on the court. It is a great treat to work hard and stay positive all day and get rewarded with t-shirts.

Thank you, parents, for your great Cowlitz spirit. It gave the girls a definite lift!

Power League - March
SILVER DIVISION
March 13, 2005 @ The Courts at Beaverton

Black started out tough in pool play against Lakeside Blue.  Then, in the middle of game one, Sarilee Rybar got blasted in the face by a ball, causing a bloody nose that had her sitting out that match and the one immediately following. This was a blow since Sarilee is so valuable to the team with her great passing at libero and her outside play. Black kept it close against Lakeside Blue, but dropped the match in two games.

Against North Clackamas Silver, Black kept in the game again, but couldn't quite pull it out at the end. Down several points in the second game, Tierney Uhlenkott came in with ace serves to pull to a tie. Jane Forman had several kills during the day, but one was so memorable when she put the ball almost straight down.

In the final pool play game against Webfoot Silver, Erin Bate set the tone of that game with 14 straight points and Black never looked back to win easily in two games. Rachel Morrow was especially effective at the net with several strong kills.

In bracket play against Oregon City Purple (like the match against Webfoot), Black never looked better, plus Sarilee was back. Black served consistently and strong and played up any free ball for the hitters to attack. Jill Isaacson was on fire passing all over the court today, plus she attacked every set with a hard top-spin spike. Alexis Vogel took her game to a new level after becoming comfortable getting a top-spin on her hits and serving very consistently to the point of the coaches having her serve hard.

This led to a final one-game match against Canby where Black came from behind again and won this one behind the strong serving of Tierney, Jill and Amanda Littlefield. Amanda made some great overhand passes to get the ball to the setters. In this game, Black was awesome at passing tough serves and Hannah Johnson and Erin had great sets to the hitters. Hannah worked hard all day and her serving was on. She always gives her all for every play. She has gained confidence with every match in the setter position in making the right decisions. Erin missed going to Yakima plus being sick a lot, so she started out slow but once she got going, she was diving and making many great saves and hustling all over the court.

After stressing at practice to follow every ball to the line and never let a close one drop in, Black executed that skill so well today. It's great when the team makes improvements and works hard to get better every game. Black has been working on the difficult skill of top-spinning their hits and it's great to see it happening in games. We expect Black to win every game when they step on the court as they have that ability, and when they're playing together as a team we see that potential. They are that close in every match, and so in Seattle next Sunday we look forward to putting it all together and having another great tournament. Go Black!

Northwest Juniors Jamboree
February 26-27, 2005 @ Franklin MS - Yakima, WA

The 12 Black team had a great time in Yakima. First, as everyone arrived Friday, the girls were treated to the wonderful door decorations the parents had made to surprise them. On Saturday morning, the 12 Black and 12 Blue teams went to have a very tasty breakfast together at the Waffles Cafe (these little girls can eat a big breakfast!) There, they exchanged their gifts from their secret sisters and enjoyed guessing (wrong most of the time) who it was from. Next it was off to see the high level of play of the 18 Blue team, and we were able to watch Jane's sister Annie and her team look impressive in their victory. Soon, these girls will be at that level, too.

Now, it was Black's turn to play and Saturday was not too kind. Black had all three matches go to a third game and they just couldn't quite pull out the victory. But, the girls recovered to enjoy pizza in Rachel's room in the evening. On Sunday, Black started strong and won their pool with three straight victories, including a 3-game match with 12 Blue who was serving strong and had many tip kills. In the first match of bracket play, Black played courageously but dropped a very close third game to River City.

Different athletes picked up their game at different times. Black is so deep with talent that all the girls contribute to a strong core. Plus, the girls always remain positive because they realize they are taking their game to a higher level and learning each time they step on the court. Sunday was a good example of that because the blockers learned how to put an overpass down for a kill. It's also so impressive to see such a young group of athletes doing their transitions so smoothly. Though doing things like blocking and transition make the game more challenging to play right now, these athletes and parents understand the value in learning these skills for their future in volleyball.

Black really missed having Erin there with all her intensity and hustle. The team thought of her all weekend and wished she were there. We all hope she is well soon. Our setters Tierney, Hannah, and Kylie all played with hustle and took on the leadership roles. The middles Alexis, Rachel, and Jane put up a strong block and got many kills. The outsides Amanda, Sarilee, and Jill were tremendous on defense and hitting. Also, Sarilee and Kylie got to play libero and enjoyed playing tough serve receive and defense.

Black is now ready to hit the Courts at Beaverton for the next Power League.

Power League - February
SILVER DIVISION
February 12, 2005 @ Pacific University - Forest Grove, OR

It was a great learning day at Power League in Forest Grove last Saturday for Black. They found out that in order to be successful, whether the outcome is a win or loss, they must play every point with enthusiasm, intensity, fun, and a love for the game. Also, Black learned to value that every player's role is important in contributing to the team's success as a whole. By being supportive and positive with their teammates, Black can have a team, not individuals, on the floor. Consequently when the game is played that way, good things happen on the court and with each other. Teamwork and trust with each other are things to value and develop. Because of Black learning and developing this way, we as coaches felt these athletes ended the day very successfully both on the court and off.

The next step to the Gold Division for Black will be handling the teams that pass the ball back on the first hit and saying "Thank you" to them by continuing to develop our Power Volleyball which is always striving for the pass-set-hit! In the end, the teams that set up the ball consistently will be the most successful.

Tourney Highlights: Hannah jumping high in the air with each successful serve (excitement is contagious) ... Erin and Tierney connecting on a beautiful back-set & hit play ... Sarilee getting kills at the net ... Rachel with an awesome block that put the ball straight down ... Kylie aggressively going to the 10 foot line to pass balls in defense from deep back ... Jill serving low and tough ... Amanda down in defense and making key passes ... Jane attacking every ball at the net ... Alexis serving with great control.

Next, Black will be off to Yakima for an exciting weekend of volleyball. Keep up the good spirit, Black!

Athletes Corner Tournament
February 6, 2005 @ Mt Solo MS - Longview, WA

12 Black finished in a tie for third in the Athletes Corner Tournament in Longview on Sunday.

Behind the solid all-around game of Sarilee Rybar, Black took the first game from Webfoot Silver 25-18. Sarilee has such quickness on defense plus she was effective in dropping her serve in consistently. Black pulled out a 25-21 win in the second game behind the strong serving of Amanda Littlefield and Jill Isaacson.

Against North Clackamas Bronze, Black took a convincing 25-17 first game win with Hannah Johnson taking control at the setter position and showing all out-hustle, plus she was hitting the ball hard all day. In the second game, passing broke down and Black suffered a close loss 23-25. Kylie Moses kept that game close with her hustle. Kylie always gives 100% effort every minute she's on the court. In the third deciding game, Tierney Uhlenkott stepped up and served 13 really tough points to guarantee the win. Tierney was on with her top-spin serve all day.

Playing Lakeside Blue, Black dropped two games but made the second game close thanks to the aggressive all around play of Jane Forman. She definitely steps up her game in each and every tournament to make a difference.

In bracket play, Black had a convincing win over Lakeside Gold 25-12. After a second game loss 18-25, Alexis Vogel was key in contributing in the third game win. Alexis always plays with enthusiasm, is vocal on the court, and is always working on what she needs to do to improve her game.

Taking on West Valley in the semifinal, Black was overpowered by their strong serving, losing 10-25. To Black's credit, toughness and competitiveness, they made the second game close. In this game, Erin Bate made great progress in taking on the leadership role with her all-out play. Rachel Morrow also made progress in recognizing and moving from offense to defense.

Black has the desire to play up at the next level and today they made strides in serving tougher, hitting harder, and making faster decisions in serve receive. The team's goal is to always improve so it will be exciting to watch Black compete at a higher level.

Power League Qualifier
January 22, 2005 @ The Courts at Beaverton

At the Power League Qualifier in Beaverton, the 12's Black were seeded second in the morning pool and finished second with wins over Scappoose and Camas Ohana. They lost the final game in 3 sets to Mac Jrs.

In the Silver Division Black took care of Canby, SW Metro and Yakima with outstanding teamwork and heads-up play. It was great to see the team successfully transitioning from offense to defense. With that happening the Black were able to play great defense and get a ton of set ups. Best of all the team was making good decisions on the court.

Hannah Johnson and Amanda Littlefield were learning new positions and it was so impressive to see them develop during the tournament. Both have tremendous quickness and ability to get to the ball. Amanda kept the other teams on their heels as her serve got tougher and more consistent all day. Kylie Moses and Erin Bate have great court savvy as setters plus both can serve hard aces. Tierney Uhlenkott sets up a great set to the hitters to get many assists all day plus she is awesome on defense. Jane Forman at middle showed her nice arm swing in her hitting and serving. Jane made great strides in getting aggressive on defense. Another middle Rachel Morrow hit several spikes with authority and worked at learning her position. Alexis Vogel, middle blocker, proves how valuable she is in both front row and back row. She can cover a lot of territory in middle back. Finally in this tournament Sari decided she can hit the ball in the front row and she has a consistent attack. Of course, she continues to be one of our dependable passers in the back row. Jill Isaacson is another good athlete on Black who does it all; consistent and accurate passing, nice spike (no matter where it's set), plus a great serve.

We have a great time with these athletes because of their tremendous drive to improve, their enthusiasm, and their competitiveness. Also a great thank you to the parents for all your support and encouragement for the team. The hair bows look great! Great day. Way to go Black!

Pre-Qualifier Tournament
January 9, 2005 @ Longview, WA

The first tournament of the season is always an adventure for the 12 and under teams.  The first games are spent learning rotations, defenses, and getting comfortable playing together as a team.  The 12's Black made great strides today in all areas.   

The first match  was against Olympia Extreme White.  Black dominated with the tough serving of Erin Bate and Amanda Littlefield to win in two games.

The next match against Nike Northwest was a challenge and Black lost in two.  They rallied and made the second game close thanks to the strong net play of Alexis Vogel.

Against Cowlitz Blue the Black team served consistently to take the match in two games.  Blue was impressive with several pass-set-hit plays.

Playing their best game yet Black took on PVC Pink and made it close with Jill Isaacson and Jane Forman serving smart and tough.  Kylie Moses worked hard to set up every ball and Erin and Tierney Uhlenkott played awesome defense.

In the final match Black took care of Olympia Extreme Blue in 2 games and showed how much they had improved during the day.  Rachel Morrow was hitting the ball with authority and Hannah Johnson and Sari Rybar hustled in that game as they did the whole day to make very nice passes.

This team showed us their tremendous potential as they continued to improve as individuals and more importantly as a team.  Black will be a force at the 12's level this year.  Great job girls!