OLYMPIA, Wash. – It was Senior Night for the Geoducks and the team was fired up to end the season on a good note and send their seniors off with a win. Despite their best efforts, Evergreen lost to Multnomah in five sets 3-2, (26-24, 23-25, 25-14, 18-25, 15-17).
The Geoducks (4-22, 4-18) set their season-high in aces in the match with 13 and led in many statistical categories including hitting percentage (0.184-0.148 TESC) and blocks (9-3 TESC) but trailed in the one category that made the most difference, kills (60-49 MU).
After Multnomah opened the match with the first two points of the set,
Andee Nelson confused the Lions with a well-placed serve to score the first points of the match for Evergreen and kick off a 5-0 run. The two teams traded the lead back and forth throughout the set but the Geoducks prevailed in the end with a 3-0 run capped off by an ace from
Nizhoni Tallman to take the first set, 26-24.
The second set followed a similar format as neither team held a lead larger than four. MU capitalized with a 3-0 run to close out the second set and even the match, 1-1.
The Lions jumped out to an early lead in the third set but
Jessica Mitchell sparked an amazing 7-0 run that featured four consecutive aces from Mitchell to give Evergreen a 12-9 lead. The aces were contagious as the Geoducks ended the set with eight aces, a 25-14 win in set three and a 2-1 lead.
Multnomah refused to let the match slip away and the fourth set was intense. MU led for most of the set and held a sizable 21-14 lead late. Evergreen rallied back to cut the deficit to 21-18 but attack error broke the Geoducks momentum and the Lions closed the door on the comeback to take the fourth set 25-15 and force a fifth set.
Every able body in Costantino Recreation Center was on their feet for the final set and the atmosphere was electric as both teams were giving their best efforts for their final match of the season. The final set was close all the way to the end but Multnomah prevailed and won the final set 17-15, and the match 3-2.
In their final match for Evergreen,
Jadyn Kallenberger posted nine kills, three aces and two blocks.
Andee Nelson led the team in kills with 11 to pair with her seven digs, and
Rylee Grams led the Geoducks in digs with 22 to go along with her two aces and career-high three kills.
This concludes the 2023 season for Evergreen State volleyball. More information available at gogeoducks.com.