Coming off a straight set loss to Juanita High School, Hazen High School volleyball got back in the win column on Oct. 2 after a 3-1 win over Woodinville pushed them over .500 so far this season.

“This was a really good win to get our energy back up,” junior outside hitter Arisa May-Kelly said. “It was fun to fight after losing the second set.”

Due to WIAA’s reclassification of divisions, this was a new matchup for both teams. Without any history or knowledge of each other’s players and tactics, the game was fast-paced and full of action.

“We didn’t know anything about this opponent, so it’s really fun for us to be able to come out and get a win, especially at home,” Assistant Coach Alyssa Genther said.

While the win overshadows most negatives, both May-Kelly and Genther were quick to point out areas of improvement, such as the frequent miscommunications in the opening points of sets.

“I think we just didn’t know whose ball was whose, and we just didn’t talk,” May-Kelly said. “One we settled down, we communicated more, got those balls, and stopped worrying about the little mistakes.”

Communication was a key for Hazen in the victory, they were able to stay steady through an up-and-down match. The first set was extremely competitive, with leads jumping back and forth as each team went on runs. A timeout was called with Hazen up 22-18, yet Woodinville quickly made that 23-23. Hazen eventually rallied around senior Sienna German to pull out a 25-23 win.

“Sienna was great today. She had a lot of kills and a lot of blocks, and she’s just essential to our team,” Genther said. “When she’s having a good day, we’re having a good day.”

While many little comebacks centered around German. Hazen found themselves consistently trailing, and they ended up losing 22-25.

The third set began rocky for both teams, but they both found their groove. Neither team led by more than two after the beginning of the third set. As they traded points, Hazen ended up in a 22-23 deficit.

Hazen morale was down for multiple reasons. Play on the court was paused for several minutes as an unruly Hazen fan was escorted out of the game due to disparaging comments made towards the referee. Hazen needed to focus back on the game.

“We’re super strong mentally. That’s always a big part of who we are. We just want to always keep pushing and fight through – it’s been a big topic at practice and at games, that we want to push when it matters no matter what,” May-Kelly said.

After the disruption, Hazen came together as a team and finished the set strong. Their communication was louder than it had been all game as they stormed back to defeat Woodinville 25-23 in the third set.

“Communication and teamwork is super important for us. It’s clear that, when we communicate, that’s when we are at our best. Especially when we’re having fun out there too,” Genther said.

After this momentum swing, Hazen was off to the races in the fourth set. Junior outside hitter Arisa May-Kelly began to shine, spiking ball after ball into the Woodinville side. The crowd really got into the game, propelling Hazen towards victory.

“I’ve played for a really long time, and I’ve always been a hitter, so it’s a lot of work that has gone into it,” May-Kelly said.

May-Kelly’s electric play helped Hazen finish the match with a massive fourth set win. Now, around halfway through their season, with a game at Inglemoor on Oct 9 approaching, they have to think about what’s next.

“We’re looking forward to meeting the rest of our opponents in our new league and seeing what we can do with the postseason,” Genther said.

Woodinville volleyball spikes the ball past the outstretched hands of blocker Sienna German. Photo provided by Tyler Rubenstein