Outlaws earn crown at invitational

The Lady Outlaws volleyball team traveled to Klamath Falls on Saturday, September 2, and walked away as the tournament champs of the Basin Invitational.

Sisters cruised through the morning pool play unscathed while showcasing their team depth. In the afternoon they were pitted against a scrappy Bonanza team in the opening of bracket play.

The Outlaws’ steady defensive effort and strategic serves were key in their two straight set wins against the Antlers, 25-18 and 25-9.

In the championship game the Outlaws faced Mazama, a very talented and athletic squad. Sisters used an imposing blocking front line to win the first set 25-14. However, the Vikings didn’t go away quietly, but came out swinging in the second set. The Outlaws showed their experience and poise, and weathered every run the Vikings came at them with.

Sisters erased a five-point deficit, and recorded the 26-24 win.

Gracie Vohs led the Outlaws with 31 kills, and Gracelyn Myhre was next with 29. Bailey Robertson added 17 kills. Mia Monaghan led the team in digs with 42 and Holly Davis dished out 80 assists. Jordyn Monaghan tallied 11 aces, and Vohs and Davis recorded five aces each.

At the start of the week, on Tuesday, August 29, the Lady Outlaws kicked off their season at home in a three-way match against 5A Caldera and 4A Crook County. It was an impressive showing for the Outlaws who cruised to a victory in both contests.

Sisters used a barrage of attacks all over the floor, and Caldera and Crook County didn’t have an answer. Gracelyn Myhre led the attack with 23 kills for both matches, followed by Kathryn Scholl who finished with 22. Gracie Vohs recorded 17 kills and Bailey Robertson had 14.

The Outlaws also were stellar at the service line. Holly Davis led the team with service streaks of five, six, and nine.

Coach Rory Rush said, “It was great to see a total team effort from the ladies to start the year. Every girl on the floor played cohesive and aggressive. It was a great bench mark for us to see how far we’ve come to start the season.”

Two days later the Outlaws played on the road against 4A Baker and 3A Burns.

Sisters went up quickly in their match against Baker, and put the game away with a 3-0 sweep.

Their match against Burns was a different story. The tough Highlander team had a rowdy crowd backing them, which created a feisty environment. Rush told The Nugget that the Lady Outlaws showed a maturity this early in the season that pleases her.

Sisters weathered run after run from Burns, and each set went down to the wire with neither team gaining more than a five-point edge.

“The girls looked unflappable in some of the most pivotal moments,” said Rush. “As the ball hit the floor on the final kill, the Outlaws rejoiced at center court having secured a very tough non-league win against a team they fully expect to see later in the season.”

Gracelyn Myhre led the team with 18 kills, followed by Gracie Vohs who tallied 17. Bailey Robertson and Kathryn Scholl added seven kills each. Holly Davis dished out 46 assists and Mia Monaghan recorded 18 digs.

“Our team showed a lot of grit tonight in an environment that wasn’t easy to play in,” added Rush. “Burns is an extremely tough team and we have a lot of respect for them. They gave us a very tough test today and I couldn’t be more proud of the consistent play we performed with. Our girls showed heart and unity and as their coach that is all you can ask for.”