Everett, WA - The Trojan volleyball squad opened up 2023 with a pre-season rank of #10 in the NWAC, the highest pre-season ranking for EvCC volleyball in recent memory. Fourth year head coach Whitney Williams led the program to its first playoff appearance since 2014 a season ago and advanced to the top 12 after defeating Pierce in the Linn-Benton regional round. Sites are set on not only a second consecutive post season but a run at the programs first ever North Region Title. The road to that accomplishment is never easy in the north region, and two programs currently rank ahead of EvCC: Skagit Valley at #9, who advanced to the Elite 8 in 2022, and Championship match in 2021; Bellevue at #2, who have won back to back North Region Titles and are one of the favorites to win it all again in 2023. Edmonds and Whatcom are also two highly regarded programs, and received several top 10 votes in the 2023 preseason ranking. Edmonds advance to the Elite 8 last season and Whatcom won the North Region Title as recently as 2019.
Everett would get an opportunity to live up to the pre season recognition by opening up the season at the north region invitational hosted by Whatcom CC against Pierce College. The Raiders proved to be a worthy opponent once again, taking the match to five sets in a see-saw affair. EvCC took the first set 25-23, only to see Pierce come back and win set two 25-23. The Trojans got a big 3rd set out of sophomore Annika Jones who recorded 4 kills, propelling EvCC to a 25-18 win before Pierce responded in the 4th 25-21. In the final set Everett jumped out to an 8-3 lead and held on to finish out the match on a Denna Gibb service Ace.
In the second match of the day, Everett faced Yakima Valley, another playoff team from last season. The Trojans took care of the Yaks 3-0, capped with a big performance from sophomore Malia Shepherd who recorded 17 kills and three service aces. Another sophomore Katie Serles had a career high 6 service aces and set up 24 assists.
The Trojans would get a big test on day two of the invitational, squaring up with Highline (preseason ranked #6, and west region champs last season) and North Idaho (pre season ranked #4 and defending east region champions). EvCC last faced Highline nearly a year ago to the date at the same north region invite, a match in which the Thunderbirds bested EvCC 3-0. This season would be a different story as the Trojans would clip Highline 27-25 in the first set, and respond with two consecutive set wins after giving up the second set 25-19. Annika Jones had a team high and career high 20 digs, and Katie Serles posted a career high 35 assists.
The weekend would culminate with the high powered North Idaho offense, a program known for hard hitting and a strong defensive presence at the net. After falling in the first set 22-25, the Trojans showed brilliant resolve defeating NIC 28-26. The effort to pull out that set win may have drained what little energy the Trojans had left after such a taxing weekend and NIC ultimately prevailed taking sets three and four. Malia Shephered posted 19 kills, tying her career high, and Katie Serles topped her career high from hours before tossing 42 assists. Another sophomore Camille Clarke was flying around defensively and grinded out a career high 31 digs.
Some top individual performers over the weekend for EvCC were Malia Shepherd (62 kills, 12 service aces, 58 digs), Annika Jones (41 kills, .223 hitting percentage, 57 digs, 10 blocks), Katie Serles (133 assists, 11 service aces), Camille Clarke (81 digs, 7 service aces), and a trio of freshman Halle Wilkinson, Annika Mason, and Jessica Eames contributed heavily to the offense combining for 59 kills. Eames also led the Trojans on the weekend with 11 total blocks.
Trojan fans will get a chance to see the team in person this week as EvCC will play host to Wenatchee Valley College and Tacoma CC in a double header on Wednesday, August 29th at the Walt Price Center. The first match with WVC starts at 5pm followed by a 7pm scheduled start time with Tacoma.