Rainier Volleyball Academy

Family Night February 13th from 5-7pm at the Tukwila Community Center

2011-02-04T11:48:00.000-08:00

The Rainier Volleyball Academy family night will be held on Sunday February 13th from 5-7pm at the Tukwila Community Center. All family members of Rainier Volleyball Players and Coaches are encouraged to attend this fun event where the girls will get a chance to finish up their serve-a-thon fundraiser, teach their families some of the things they've learned this year and mix in with their families and coaches for a fun scrimmage.

We hope to see you all there.

2011 Rainier Volleyball Tournament Schedule

2011-01-24T12:49:00.000-08:00

January
16-17 NW Juniors MLK Tournament

February
19-21 NW Juniors President’s Day Tournament

March
20 Domino’s Pizza Tournament
26 Sports for Youth

April
17 Tulip Festival
30-5/1 USAV Puget Sound Regional Championship

Getting ready for the NCAA Tournament

2010-12-01T09:57:00.000-08:00

The NCAA Women's Volleyball tournament starts Thursday. Seattle will host matches this weekend and next. This weekend Hawaii, Washington, Portland State and Michigan will play in Seattle.

Check out the breakdown of the NCAA Seattle Region at NCAA.com

Thursday night, The Rainbow Wahine of Hawaii have Portland State at 5pm and the UW Huskies face Michigan at 7:30. The winners of each match play Friday night with the winner advancing to the Regional tournament held in Seattle the following weekend.

Want Tickets? Visit gohuskies.com

SPU Falcons Win Big Honors in GNAC

2010-11-17T07:45:00.000-08:00

SEATTLE – Sarah Risser has done it again. So has coach Chris Johnson. And so too has a Seattle Pacific volleyball freshman.

Sarah RisserSenior outside hitter Risser has been named to the All-Great Northwest Athletic Conference first-team volleyball all-stars for the second year in a row. She was one of three SPU players to earn first-team honors, joined by junior outside hitter Lindsey Wodrich and freshman middle blocker Nikki Lowell.
But Lowell didn’t stop there, she was named the GNAC’s Freshman of the Year. That is the third time in the past four seasons a Falcon has claimed that honor. Current senior setter Joelle Perez won it in 2007, and current junior libero Anna Herold claimed it in 2008.

Chris JohnsonJohnson, who took a team pegged for third place in the preseason coaches poll all the way to a share of the conference championship, was named co-Coach of the Year, along with Western Washington’s Diane Flick. Western, the preseason conference favorite, tied SPU for third place. Johnson’s award was his third. He is now in his sixth year at the Falcons' helm.

Seattle Pacific also had three players chosen for the second team: Herold, junior opposite Paige Hoffman, and sophomore setter Shelby Swanson. -Read More

State Volleyball Champions, USA 4th Best and UW 0-2 on the Weekend

2010-11-16T09:00:00.000-08:00

Congratualtions to Washington's Volleyball State Champions.

4A Jackson
3A Seattle Prep
2A Pullman
1A Chelan
2B Reardan
1B Almira/Coulee-Hartline

View the brackets Here

Team USA Finishes Fifth, Russia is the World Champion
The US Women's National Team finished in fourth place behind Russia, Brazil and Japan. Stacy Sykora and Logan Tom were named to the all tournament team. The finish is a noted improvement over their 9th place finish in the last FIVB World Championship. The Americans are currently ranked second in the world behind Brazil.

Read more at USAvolleyball.org

UW Loses to Cal and Stanford, Still #11
The University of Washington Huskies played well in spurts, but suffered from inconsistency as they fell to #4 Cal and #2 Stanford over the weekend. The poor results didn't effect the Huskies position in the AVCA rankings as they stayed at #11. This weekend the Dawgs head to Arizona for two matches before coming home to finish up the PAC 10 season against Oregon and Oregon State.

Read more about the Dawgs

Four Remain to Battle for 4A Volleyball Title

2010-11-12T09:01:00.000-08:00

Issaquah, Olympia, Jackson and Mead make up the Semifinals of the WIAA 4A Volleyball Tournament.

The match of the day from the first two rounds yesterday was defending champions Mead defeating Graham-Kapowsin in 15-12 in the thrilling finale of a marathon match. The defending champs also dropped a set against underdog Kentwood early in the day. Now they face a Jackson team hot to avenge a loss to Mead in the Spokane Crossover Tournament last month.

Check out the Bracket Here

US Women Lose to Brazil, Advance to Semifinals

2010-11-10T08:05:00.000-08:00

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (Nov. 10, 2010) – The U.S. Women’s National Volleyball Team has filled the final spot of the 2010 FIVB Women’s World Championship semifinal round that starts Nov. 13 in Tokyo. However, the advancement was not the planned method to continue its quest for the first World Championship gold medal in program history.

On the final day of the second round, the No. 2 Americans needed to defeat top-ranked Brazil on Nov. 10 to guarantee themselves a spot in the semifinals without any outside help. After Brazil won the match 25-19, 24-26, 25-19, 25-23, Team USA turned into rooters for its NORCECA rival Cuba in the final match of the day in Nagoya against Italy. -Read More

Two More Tryout Dates Added for U14s

2010-11-09T10:10:00.000-08:00

The Rainier Volleyball Academy is looking for a couple more players to round out our U14 regional team. We will be holding additional tryouts on November 11 and November 18 from 6-8pm at Dimmitt Middle School. Please email info@rainiervolleyball.com is you are interested in trying out.

USA Women vs Germany at World Championships 2010

2010-11-08T19:45:00.000-08:00

You can hear the communication on the court quite clearly in this video. There is no play by play.

USA Women vs Croatia at World Championships 2010

2010-11-08T19:39:00.000-08:00

There is no sound, but here is a nice look at the USA Women.

SeattleTimes.com: Follow the Road to State

2010-11-05T08:51:00.000-07:00

Here is some great coverage from the Seattle Times. If you are looking for information about the district tournaments and how your favorite teams are faring in their quest for state, check out Sandy Ringer's coverage.

Posted by Sandy Ringer

I wanted to get you updated on the chases toward the Class 4A and 3A state volleyball tournaments.

Currently, there are only six teams assured of state berths. In the Northwest District, Jackson and Snohomish have qualified in 4A, while Meadowdale and Ferndale are locks in 3A. Those teams are playing for their respective championships on Saturday (I'll link you to the brackets below).

Issaquah and Newport are also moving on in 4A. -Read More

Issaquah Wins Kingco 4A Title

BOTHELL — With Newport threatening to steal the second game of Thursday night's KingCo 4A tournament title match, Issaquah senior Rachel Roeder thought about a season's worth of grueling volleyball practices. -Read More

Saturday Night is Your Last Chance to See the Amazing Falcons

2010-11-05T08:08:00.000-07:00

The hottest volleyball team in Seattle this fall has been the Seattle Pacific University Falcons. They've been ranked nationally for most of the season and have posted a record of 22-2. Saturday night they will celebrate senior night at the Brougham Pavillion.

Learn More about the Falcoms at SPUFalcons.com

Read about their come from behind win against Western

Senior Sarah Risser's Post Match Reaction to the Western Match

U13 and U14 Tryouts Sunday November 7th, 3-5pm

2010-11-04T08:13:00.001-07:00

This weekend marks the begining of the Rainier Volleyball Academy 2010-2011 club volleyball season. The U13 and U14 age groups will hold tryouts at the Tukwila Community Center Sunday afternoon from 3-5pm. Registration can be completed at RainierVolleyball.com.

Who's Going to State This Year? District Tournaments Kick Off Tonight

2010-11-04T08:06:00.001-07:00

The District Tournaments kick off around the Puget Sound Region tonight as volleyball programs big and small are working to progress to the State Championships. Here are some of the exciting matches coming up in the next two days.

Kingco 4A
Bothell and Woodenville collide tonight, as do Newport and Issaquah.

SeaKing 3A Tournament
Tonight features Seattle Prep and upset minded Liberty

Tri District 1A Tournament
Annie Wright faces Meridian and Overlake will battle Charles Wright. In another exciting match up' University Prep and Vashon Island will face off.

Get the Results at SeattleTimes.com

Seattle Times State Rankings for 4A and 3A Week of November 1st

2010-11-02T10:52:00.000-07:00

Holy Names busts into the top 10 on the 3A ranking after their big weekend and Tahoma falls from the top 10 in 4A after thier loss to Graham-Kaposkin.

See the Reasons Behind the Rankings at SeattleTimes.com

Class 4A

1. Richland
2. Mead (Spokane)
3. Issaquah
4. Jackson (Mill Creek)
5. Skyview (Vancouver)
6. Graham-Kapowsin
7. Olympia
8. Monroe
9. Gig Harbor
10. Curtis (University Place)

Class 3A

1. Mount Spokane
2. Kennedy Catholic
3. West Valley (Yakima)
4. Camas
5. Mount Si
6. Eastside Catholic
7. Capital (Olympia)
8. Auburn Mountainview
9. Holy Names
10. Meadowdale (Lynnwood)

Falcons Lose in Anchorage, Fall Five Spots to #18

2010-11-02T10:46:00.000-07:00

ANCHORAGE, Alaska – A point here, a point there. When Seattle Pacific needed them, Alaska Anchorage got them.

Nikki Lowell had a career-high 19 kills, and Shelby Swanson’s 51 assists was just one shy of her career high, but the13th-ranked Falcons came up short in their Great Northwest Athletic Conference volleyball match against the Seawolves on Saturday night, 3-1.

Games scores at the Wells Fargo Sports Complex were 25-22, 16-25, 25-23, 25-20. -Read More

Western Washington University Volleyball moved up two spots to number 13 in the Bison AVCA Division 2 Top 25 this week.

Huskies play 10 sets, tally 0 wins and fall to #11

2010-11-02T10:37:00.000-07:00

The University of Washington Huskies volleyball team was oh so close to a victory in Los Angeles on both Friday and Saturday night, but fell in five sets to both UCLA and USC over the weekend.

The losses drop the Huskies out of the top 10 to #11 and create some doubt about the team's ability to challenge for a national title.

Check out the AVCA Division 1 Top 25

Read aboutt he Huskies long weekend

League and Sub-district Tournament Weekend

2010-10-29T09:47:00.000-07:00

It's tournament time! After a full season of play, we will start to see which teams are going to make a serious run at a state title this weekend.

Upset Alert!
The Metro 3A tournament has brought us our first big upset of the season at Holy Names defeated #7 Seattle Prep in a five set second round thriller. In the first round Holy Names swept Chief Sealth and Bishop Blanchet defeated Lakeside 3-1. Bishop Blanchet met up with Nathan Hale in the second round but no score has been posted.

Seamount League Teams at Subdistricts
I don't have a lot of information about the Seamount League teams competing at Subdistricts. I can see that Evergreen swept Steilacoom before losing to Eatonville in five sets. I also have a report that Renton lost their opening round match against a team from Olympia.

Emerald City League Tournament
Annie Wright looks to be on their way to districts after they swept Overlake Thursday night. No report on the U Prep vs Bellevue Christian match-up.

Kingco 3A Tournament
The Kingco kids will kick off their tournament Friday night at 5:30 when Bellevue and Mercer Island and Lake Washington and Liberty match up.

This Weekend
Saturday the SPSL 4A Tournament features a mouth watering match-up between #10 Tahoma and #6 Graham-Kapowskin. #3 Issaquah starts the Kingco 4A tournament against Eastlake on Saturday.

Check out SeattleTimes.com for the most up to date scores and results

Emerald City League Volleyball Tournament Starts Tonight

2010-10-28T08:32:00.000-07:00

The Emerald City League championship tournament gets underway tonight. In the first round, Overlake with face Annie Wright and University Prep with play against Forest Ridge. The winners will face off against division Champions Cedar Park Christian and Bellevue Christian on Saturday.

Five spots at the Tri-District Tournament will be on the line for the six teams competing in the league tournament.

See the Emerald City League Standings Here.

Q&A with Renton Indians Head Coach Rhemy Delfin

2010-10-28T08:16:00.000-07:00

The Renton Indians are getting ready for the post season. I had a couple moments to catch up with their first year head coach Rhemy Delfin. Here is what she had to say.

What areas have you improved most in and where do you expect to see the most improvement in the future?
Throughout the season we've seen the most amount of improvement in our serving. The consistency and accuracy have increased exponentially, however, serving is still our worst enemy, second only to serve receive passing. We've also seen a great amount of improvement in our aggressiveness at the net. Klarissa Quintas, Jazzlyn Joshua, and Maria Young have great stats for blocking, and our outside hitters are boasting high marks for their kills. Hopefully we continue to have a great offensive game in the post season.

Can you give us an impression of the first year of Seamount play split between 2A and 3A?
The split has been almost seamless. The only difference/diffculty we've seen are the different brackets for sub-districts. This and the "point system" that determined the sub-district seeds have been new, and challenging to interpret. But, like anything new, it's worked it's way through and it's a great process in the end. Aside from this "new process," the transition was seamless.

Give us an idea of players on your team who stand out and might be able to play after high school.
Aira Jose- If she works at it in the off season, and really dedicates herself to the sport every time she gets on the court, she has the potential to set at the collegiate level. Her skills are there, she just needs to hone them in, and get them tight. The team is lucky to have her. Klarissa Quintas- Quite literally towers over the competition. Her leg strength also allows her to get at least 2 feet over any net, and effectively take away 80% of the court from any hitter. If she continues to work hard, and build her upper body strength, she'll play after high school for sure. Theresa Vo- Always willing to learn, and to better herself. She is going to be our big hitter next year, if she continues to play in the off season. Hannah Franceschina- A sophomore with a bright future in volleyball. She has a lot of time to get to the top of her game, and if she works hard (as she always does) I don't doubt that a D1 school will take notice. Alina Chuong- Natural talent. She continues to surprise me, and her opponents with the natural volleyball ability she has. Although she makes it look easy, she works hard at every practice, and stays focus in every game. With more training and practice, this Junior will have a bright volleyball future after high school.

What goals did you set preseason this year?
The girl's had set goals to make it to both Districts AND State this year. We've come up short in the season, but are still in line for these goals. With discipline and intensity, we can get there. The talent is available, we just need to reign it all in.

How about for the next 2-3 years?
The main goal for the next 2-3 years is to grow the program. Renton High School is very supportive, and many of the families have grown up in the same city and classrooms as their children. Instilling a sense of community, and involvement will be key in opening the doors and opportunities to all incoming freshmen and new students.

Anything else that you'd like us to know about the Renton Indians?
The Renton Indians are a joy to coach. The players are respectful, high-spirited, and hard working. I'm blessed to have the opportunity to play volleyball with these ladies every night, and to watch them grow as people. These ladies will make differences not only on the courts they play on, but in the schools, and communities they are a part of. This program is more than volleyball, it's truly a familial atmosphere.

The Seattle Academy Cardinals Conclude a Season of Firsts

2010-10-26T11:23:00.000-07:00

Top row: Sarendum Alemu, Claire Mason, Sarah Dupree, Carly Barwick, Caroline Sweeney, Selina Richardson, Hannah Montague, Ellie Engel, Mckenzie Smith
Front Row: Saedah Ham, Carly Montague, Samia Faour, Gianna Pagano, Maria Pagano, Margaret Garrison, Nadia Jamrozik, Pilar Letrondo

"It's not often that a coach gets a chance to help mold a volleyball program from the very beginning. When I found myself in discussions about taking over the head coaching position for the Seattle Academy of Arts and Sciences ahead of their first full participation season at the varsity level, I couldn't say no," said Mati Bishop, varsity volleyball coach at Seattle Academy.

Under his guidance, a talented young squad put up a season of firsts that included their first set win, first match win, first home win, first away win, first league win, first come from behind win, first five set match win and first legitimate shot at making the Emerald City League playoffs.

"My idea was that coming into the season, if we could win five matches, we would have accomplished something really special. I didn't know how special until I saw the manner in which we won that fifth match," Bishop admitted.

The match in question was their final home match of the season against their neighborhood rivals, Bush School. During the course of the match, the Cardinals fell behind by two sets and Bishop received a yellow card.

"It was the first yellow card I have ever gotten," Bishop said. "I'm not sure why I got it when I did, but I was on my way to deserving it. The girls on the bench thought it was a hoot. They gave me a good ribbing about it."

What started with the coaches yellow card quickly became something much more special.

"The way we played the first two sets, we were in real trouble. I didn't have a lot of ideas about what to do next," said Bishop, but he didn't need them, his team had everything under control.

The Cardinals stormed out to a big lead in set three and never looked back on their way to a 3-2 victory. Middle hitter Selina Richardson tallied a season high nine kills on the season, the most any player scored in a single match. Three of those kills were earned on the first four points of the fifth set.

"Selina has the ability to impose her will on a match," Bishop explains. "I had watched her do it in a little tournament that we had in practice the week before. When she wants to win, there is very little that can be done to stop her."

Despite captaining the Cardinals this year, Richardson is only a sophomore.

"Our team is so young this year, I wasn't sure if we had the maturity or the consistency to complete a come back from 0-2, even after winning the third set, but they were on a mission and that was the difference," he said.

Perhaps it was the pre-match ceremony honoring the team's only senior this season, Sarendum Alemu, that inspired the young group to pull together and accomplish the improbable comeback?

"Sarendum is a pioneer of this program. Without her and the other girls who really stood up and supported starting volleyball at SAAS, none of this would be possible and none of what we're going to accomplish in the future would be possible," Bishop explains. "Sending her off of her home court for the final time as a winner is something that I'm really proud of the girls for coming together and doing. Making it such a memorable win is just the icing on the cake."

The line-up that won sets three four and five featured a freshmen setter, Gianna Pagano, a freshmen libero, Nadia Jamrozik and four sophomores in addition to Richardson.

"Our young group of girls really came on strong late in the season," Bishop said. "I was hoping for this and if there was a slightly different format for the league tournament, I think we could have surprised someone and maybe even earned a berth to districts."

The Cardinals fell just short of the final seed to the league tournament. There final league record was 2-10 for the season and they finished 5-14 overall a notable improvement over the winless campaign of 2009. Sophomore hitter Ellie Engel won the team MVP and Richardson was chosen for the Coaches Award. Both players earned a nomination for the Emerald City All-League Team. Freshman Caroline Sweeney and Jamrozik will be considered for the league's newcomer of the year award.

"All of the girls on this team are worthy of mention,' Bishop said. "The work we did this season to build the foundation for the entire program was not easy. There is very little glory in it, but all of the girls went at it with a zeal that is hard to find. We've started climbing the mountain towards our goals and these girls covered a lot of ground. People don't always notice the little things, but our girls have made a great season out of doing them well."

Visit the Seattle Academy Cardinals MaxPreps.com Page for Stats and Results

See Pictures from this season at Smugmug.com

Become a Friend of SAAS Volleyball on Facebook

SPU and WWU at #13 and #15 in Div. 2, UW Hold Steady at #7

2010-10-26T10:34:00.000-07:00

Seattle Pacific University stayed #13 in the AVCA Division 2 Coaches Poll this week. The Falcons 20-1 record keeps them two spots above Western Washington, the only team they have lost to, who moved up from #17 to #15.

UW barely beat Arizona Friday night and handled Arizona State on Saturday night to be deemed worthy of keeping their #7 ranking in the Division 1 coaches poll. Stanford and Hawaii both lost ground to Nebraska and Cal who moved to #2 and #3 respectively.

Puget Sound broke into the Division 3 poll at #24 with a 14-4 record. The Loggers are on an impressive 10 match winning steak and have posted an 11-1 conference record this season.

The Seattle Times High School Rankings look largely the same with the exception that Tahoma, coached by former Rainier Volleyball and Renton High School coach Sally Eager, had entered the fray at the #10 spot.

High School and College Volleyball Rankings Largely Unchanged this Week

2010-10-19T10:14:00.000-07:00

The Seattle Times 4A and 3A High School Volleyball rankings for the week of Oct. 16th look just like the rankings from the week before. It's doubtful there will be a lot of change over the last two weeks of the season, but fans can hope for some surprises in the final matches of league play around the state. Likely though, it will be league and district tournament time before things get really interesting again in the High School rankings.

The AVCA Division 1 top 10 is largely unchanged also. Even after a two loss road trip against Stanford and California, the UW Huskies held on to their number 7 ranking. Stanford is number 2, just four first place votes behind Florida. University of Hawaii Wahine Volleyball picked up two first place votes and held on to their number 4 ranking, and Nebraska is still number 3 with four first place votes. The National Finalists from last season, Penn State and Texas are 9th and 10th respectively.

Last weekend was an interesting one in NWAACC Volleyball with all of the teams competing in the crossover tournaments. Check out the results of the tournaments here. Shoreline, Watcom and Edmonds are all tied atop the very exciting North division with 5-1 league records. Check out all of the NWAACC standings here.

Seattle Pacific University Falcon volleyball bounced back after their first loss of the year last week against Western Washingon with a pair of weekend wins over Northwest Nazerene and Central Washington. Head coach Chris Johnson has put together an impressive 18-1 start to the 2010 season.

Seattle Times State Rankings for 4A and 3A Week of October 11

2010-10-11T16:06:00.000-07:00

I haven't given these rankings enough good treatment this year and this week's rankings are especially interesting. The post from the Seattle Times covers the results of the Crossover Tournament in Spokane and other mid-season tournaments. It's also the first time that I can remember Bishop Blanchet not being in the 3A top ten. Make sure to read the story, not just the lists.

Class 4A

1. Richland
2. Mead (Spokane)
3. Issaquah
4. Jackson (Mill Creek)
5. Skyview (Vancouver)
6. Graham-Kapowsin
7. Bellarmine Prep (Tacoma)
8. Olympia
9. Newport (Bellevue)
10. Snohomish

Class 3A

1. Mount Spokane
2. Kennedy Catholic
3. West Valley (Yakima)
4. Camas
5. Mount Si
6. Eastside Catholic
7. Seattle Prep
8. Capital (Olympia)
9. Timberline (Lacey)
10. Prairie (Brush Prairie)

UW Huskies and USA Men Top Weekend Volleyball News

2010-10-10T16:12:00.000-07:00

The Washington Huskies played a reletively tame match Friday night, defeating Washington State in three sets, but it was the performance from the previous weekend that had the media talking about them. NCAA.com declared them back in the race for the National Championship. Read the article at NCAA.com here.

The USA Men lost to Russian and finished 6th in the World Championship. You can read about that at usavolleyball.org. Brazil and Cuba are set to battle for the title. Get coverage from Volleycountry.com.

New Volleyball Video Site

2010-10-07T15:56:00.000-07:00

Found a new volleyball video site while I was surfing the net before practice today. I think it is a Polish site, but has some great links to pretty up to date videos from the World Championship. Check them out at volleyball-movies.pl

Czech vs Brazil
They had a full length clip of the 5th set of the Czech Republic vs Brazil match. The Czech's were the darlings of the World Championship this year and our club treasurer is Czech as well, so I had to link to this. Watch how Brazil's block takes over the set keeping the Czech's stuck in serve receive. There are also some great examples of how well the Brazilians use the entire court to isolate blockers on the other side of the net. Check out the video here.

Italy vs Germany
If you can swing, you will score. This footage shows off the power of the men's game. Italy dispatches of Germany on their way to eliminate the United States. Watch the end of set 4 here.

More Match Footage
Spain vs Russia
Brazil vs Bulgaria

Tons of Volleyball This week

2010-10-05T16:51:00.001-07:00

The USA Men's volleyball team is waiting for a match between Italy and France to determine if they will have a chance to play for the World Championship, or if they will be playing for a fifth place result. Check out the news at usavolleyball.org

The American Volleyball Coaches Association rankings have undefeated Stanford on top. Hawaii moves up to fifth the the UW moves to 9th. See the full rankings here.

Kennedy Catholic is second in the Seattle Times 3A rankings. Woodenville and Issaquah are three and four respectively in the 4A Rankings. See who's on top. Find out who won the Monday night match-up between Woodenville and Issaquah here.

Tryouts for 2010-2011 Scheduled

2010-10-03T11:31:00.000-07:00

The Rainier Volleyball Academy is proud to announce that we will be fielding teams in the U14 and U16 age divisions for the 2010-2011 USA Volleyball Puget Sound Region's club volleyball season.

Tryout Dates and Times

U13-U14
We still have room for a couple more players on our U14 team. Please contact Coach Mati to come out to a practice. 425.344.0408 info@rainiervolleyball.com

U15-U16-U17
November 20, 10am-Noon at the Tukwila Community Center
November 21, 3-5pm at the Tukwila Community Center

New for 2010-2011
This season the Rainier Volleyball Academy is launching a Select volleyball program for it's u15, u16 and u17 age division. This program will include intensive volleyball training, competition in the Puget Sound Power League and Regional Championships plus travel to the Pacific Northwest Qualifier Tournament in Spokane and the Volleyball Festival in Phoenix, Arizona.

The U13-U14 and possibly the U15 program will be playing a regional format that includes play in the Puget Sound Power League and Regional Championships and travel to play in the Tulip Festival tournament in LaConner, Washington.

For more information and to receive an overview of the new programs, please email Club Director Mati Bishop at Info@rainiervolleyball.com.

We're looking forward to seeing you at tryouts.

UW takes down #5 USC in 5 sets

2010-10-02T09:15:00.000-07:00

The University of Washington Huskies volleyball team bounced back from a dissappointing loss at Oregon to handle the Trojans of USC in five sets at the Bank of America Arena.

Check out the coverage at gohuskies.com

High School Volleyball is in full swing throughout Western Washington

2010-09-30T09:51:00.000-07:00

The high school volleyball season is in full swing with players with ties to Rainiervolleyball.com and the Rainier Volleyball Academy taking part in competition throughout the region.

Aira Jose, Maria Young, Nhu-san Nguyen and Hannah Franceschina make up the core of the Renton Indians. The girls have put up wins over Foster and Tyee in early Seamount play. Follow the Indians at the Seattle Times, here.

The Eagles of Lindbergh are flying high with the help of Malia Hue and the sisters Danielle and Diane Danao. Follow their season here.

Kristy Braunston is digging up everything for Liberty High School. Check out their 4A season here.

Selina Richardson was named the player of the week for the Seattle Academy of Arts and Sciences after she helped to lead them to their first conference win in program history. Learn more about them at their maxpreps.com page here.

Rainier Volleyball Academy Summer Camp at Seattle Academy

2010-06-25T08:38:00.000-07:00

Instructor: Mati Bishop and Rainier Volleyball Academy Staff

To Register Contact: Sheila Hanrahan, shanrahan@seattleacademy.org

Dates: July 19 – 23, 2010
Location: Seattle Academy
Times: 9 AM – Noon Middle School
1 – 4 PM Upper School
Tuition: $85 per half day session

Enrollment: Maximum 24 students per session
Minimum 12 students per session

Class Description: Open to volleyball enthusiasts of all
skill levels. This week-long camp will teach you the basics of the forearm pass, the
overhead pass, the hit, and the serve. Players will learn drills that will increase their skill
level as well as various offensive and defensive set ups. Plenty of scrimmage time will be
allowed to apply the skills being learned and to enjoy the game!

Requirements: Open to the public for incoming 6th through 12th grade girls.

Outdoor Volleyball Program Starts June 2nd at Coulon Park

2010-04-28T09:34:00.000-07:00

The Rainier Volleyball Academy will be providing instruction and competition for players interested in playing outdoor volleyball starting on June 2nd and running every Monday and Wednesday through June 30th. The program is open to girls ages 12-18. A boys division will be added if there are more than eight boys who register.

The cost of the program is $129 per player.

Program Schedule
June 2, 6-8pm- Clinic: Passing, Serving, Setting and Rule Differences Outdoors
June 7, 5-9pm- 4v4 Tournament Coach Assigned Teams

June 9, 6-8pm- Clinic: Choosing a Partner, Playing 2v2
June 14, 5-9pm- 2v2 Tournament, Luck of the Draw

June 16, 6-8pm- Clinic: Fitness for Outdoor Volleyball
June 21, 5-9pm- 4v4 Tournament Rotating teams

June 23, 6-8pm- Clinic: Advanced Outdoor Volleyball Skills and Strategies
June 28, 5-9pm- 2v2 Tournament Rotating Teams

June 30, 5-9pm- 4v4 Tournament Luck of the Draw and End of Season Potluck

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Club Season End of Year Party Sunday May 2nd at 2pm

2010-04-28T07:09:00.000-07:00

The end of season party for the u15 Wildcats and u17 Panthers will be Sunday May 2nd, 2pm at the Family Fun Center in Tukwila. The teams will be put in groups of four and will compete in a minature golf tournament for prizes.

Please RSVP to your coaches and let them know that you will be attending.

Directions to Family Fun Center in Tukwila

17 Panthers Finish the Club Season in Style at the La Conner VBC Tournament

2010-04-20T07:16:00.000-07:00

Congratulations to the 17 Panthers who finished their season with their best performance of the year at the La Conner VBC u17 tournament. The Panthers played solid volleyball all day long and recorded a win against Lightning VBC and came back to earn a split in their two set match against Sedro-Woolley VBC in an exciting performance.

The 15 Wildcats were also in action at the Tulip Festival Volleyball Tournament looking for a third consecutive tournament victory. A string of injuries to key players contributed to a disappointing day for the shorthanded squad.

The teams will get together one more time at the Rainier Volleyball Academy season ending party before they continue on with their high schools' summer programs.

UPDATED: Tournament Information for the Weekend of April 18th

2010-04-13T04:26:00.000-07:00

Both of the Rainier Volleyball Academy teams will be up North for volleyball action surrounding the annual Tulip Festival. This will be the last tournament of the year for the Rainier Volleyball Academy and we encourage parents, friends and family members to come out and see the progress that we've made. The tulips are in full bloom, so there will be plenty to do during the teams' down times. Check out Tulipfestival.org for fun stuff for parents and family to do.

U17 Panthers Tournament Info
Location: La Conner High School Main Gym (Directions)
Time: Play starts at 8:30
Competition: La Conner VBC 17, Sedro Wooley VBC, Lightning VBC
Schedule: Play, break, ref, play, play, break, elimination round
Sleepover: Skagit Motel, Sedro Woolley (Directions)

U15 Wildcats Tournament Info
Location: Mt. Baker Middle School (Directions)
Time: 9:00am start, 8:30 arrival
Competition: Lynden Hit & Run, Rain City Cyclone, Sabotage 15
Schedule: Not Announced
Sleepover: There will be no sleepover for the 15s. Parents wishing to get rooms in the same location as the U17s please contact Coach mati asap at matibishop@gmail.com

More information will be posted as soon as it is available. You can also click here to keep an eye on the tournament website for updates.

Wildcats Win Again, Finish Power League on a High Note

2010-04-13T04:11:00.000-07:00

The U15 Wildcats closed out their 2010 USAV Puget Sound Region Power League Campaign with an undefeated flight championship last Sunday. The tournament victory was the second in a row for the team who has hit their stride through the second half of the season.

This weekend (April 18) the Wildcats will finish off their season with a trip North for the annual Tulip Festival tournament.

U15 Wildcats will Finish Power League at Kent Meridian High School on Sunday April 11

2010-04-08T07:31:00.001-07:00

The U15 Wildcats squad will finish out their 2010 USAV Puget Sound Region Power League campaign on Sunday April 11th at Kent Meridian High School. The tournament is the second to last for the team consisting of players from Renton, Lindbergh, Liberty, West Seattle and Hazen High School's volleyball programs.

Last time the Wildcats took the court they won the silver division in the Domino's Pizza volleyball tournament. After this weekend, they will have a week off before competing in the Tulip Festival Tournament on April 18th.

Get Directions to Kent Meridian High School

Weekly News and Notes 4-6-2010

2010-04-06T06:19:00.000-07:00

It's spring break for Renton School District and this means a reduced practice schedule for both of the Rainier Volleyball Academy squads. The only practice this week will be Tuesday night (April 6th) from 6-8pm at Renton High School.

Youth Development Program Filling Up
The Rainier Volleyball Academy Youth Development program is scheduled to start on April 21st at Dimmitt Middle School. The program will teach individual and team skills to players age 12-14. Click here to sign up and reserve your spot.

Annie Phan Shows Big in Final Power League Tournament
U17 Panthers libero Annie Phan had her best tournament of the year last weekend as her team finished the USAV Puget Sound Region Power League competition. Her solid passing platform on serve receive and ability to read the other teams hitters provided the foundation for her squads offense to run on. Annie and the Panthers will finish out their season in the LaConner VBC Tournament on April 18th.

U15 Wildcats in Final Power League This Weekend
The U15 Wildcats will finish up their USAV Puget Sound Region Power League schedule April 11th. The last time the Wildcats played they won the Silver Division of the Domino's Pizza tournament. More information about the location will be posted as soon as it is received.

Coach Sally Eager's Son Derek Featured in the Seattle Times
If only there was a boys volleyball program in the Puget Sound Region, we may be reading about Derek heading to college on a volleyball scholarship. Instead, it is the javelin that he excels in and right now, he is the best in the state and the country. Read the article here.

U17 Panthers will Finish Power League in Olympia Saturday April 3rd

2010-03-31T13:46:00.000-07:00

The U17 Panthers will play in their fourth and final USAV Puget Sound Region Power League Tournament this Saturday (April 3rd) on courts 3&4 at Evergreen State College in Olympia.

The Panthers will be looking to build on their first match victory of the season, which they earned last weekend at the Saturday Warrior's U17 tournament. They will play in a three team pool against teams from The Edge VBC and Saturday Warriors.

Here are Directions to Evergreen State College

Please check with your coaches for arrival times.

U17 Panthers Take to the Court at Kentridge High School this Weekend

2010-03-26T07:21:00.000-07:00

The U17 Panthers will continue to plow through the heart of their schedule on Saturday in the Saturday Warriors Volleyball Club U17 tournament at Kentridge High School.

Get Directions to Kentridge High School Here

The Tournament Field
SWVBC U17 - Kyle
Rainier Volleyball Academy U17
Lynden Volleyball U17
Focus Lasers 1 - U17
Focus Lasers 2 - U17
Yakima Valley Spikers VBC - U17
Narrows VBC - U17 Purple NP
Foursquare VBC - U17

Thursday Night Practices at Hazen High School Added to the Schedule

2010-03-24T06:15:00.000-07:00

The Rainier Volleyball Academy's u15 Wildcats and U17 Panthers squads will have team training from 7-9pm on Thursday nights at Hazen High School starting on March 25th.

Get Directions to Hazen High School

Finishing Strong
The extra practices will help the teams prepare for a strong finish to the season on April 18th when the Wildcats compete in the Tulip Festival tournament and the Panthers take the floor in the Laconner Volleyball Club tournament.

Membership Cards
Players for the Rainier Volleyball Academy have been selling special membership cards that give supporters of the academy discounts at local businesses. The cost of the supporters card is $20 and supplies are very limited. Contact your favorite Rainier Volleyball Academy player to get yours before the fundraising deadline on Thursday March 25th.

U15 Wildcats are Dominoe's Pizza Tournament Silver Division Champions!

2010-03-21T08:49:00.000-07:00

Congratulations to the U15 Wildcats who claimed the first tournament title of any kind for the Rainier Volleyball Academy this weekend when they won the Dominoe's Pizza Invitational U15 Silver Division championship.

U15 Wildcats and U17 Panthers in the Dominoes Pizza Tournament This Weekend

2010-03-18T09:24:00.001-07:00

The U15 Wildcats will play on Saturday March 20th at Washington High School on court #2. Please check with your coaches for arrival time. Check the Wildcats Pool Play Schedule here.

The U17s will play on Sunday at Washington High School on court #2. Check out the Panthers pool play schedule here.

Get your directions to Washington High School Here.

Learn More about the Dominoes Volleyball Tournament Here.

Rainier Volleyball Players Greet a World Champion

2010-03-16T15:25:00.000-07:00

Players and coaches from the Rainier Volleyball Academy were at Catz Sports Saturday afternoon for a special meet and greet session with FIVB Women's Beach Volleyball World Champion April Ross.

The players found out that they had more than a passion for volleyball in common with April, they also share the same personal trainer, Anya Tronson, who is completing the girls first 11 session package on Thursday night. Questions from the Rainier Volleyball Academy players ranged from tactical, to technical to fun. They found out that April played some setter early on in her career, but is far more inclined mentally to be a hitter who finishes the play. They also learned that she prefers playing on the left side of the beach formation and had tons of questions answered about the differences between beach and indoor volleyball.

The girls will have an oppotunity to work on their beach skills when the Rainier Volleyball Academy kicks off it's first ever outdoor volleyball program in the month of June.

Rainier Volleyball Academy Youth Development Program

2010-03-13T07:37:00.000-08:00

The Rainier Volleyball Academy's Youth Development Program is a six week series of clinics designed to teach volleyball players age 12-14 the basic skills of volleyball and give them hands on experience with both individual and team skills.

Each session is an hour and a half long and will provide the players with hundreds of opportunities to practice the individual skills and receive specific feedback from the coaches. This program is designed to help players develop the skills needed to excel at club and high school volleyball.

Program Dates
April 21st
April 28th
May5th
May12th
May19th
May25th

Two sessions per program are available. The first will run from 6pm-7:30pm and the second will run from 7:30pm-9pm. The number of participants for each session is limited to 12.

Cost per player is $99
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Meet April Ross and Jen Kessey before you get to meet April Ross and Jen Kessey

2010-03-12T20:22:00.000-08:00

Here is a little bit of footage that will help Rainier Volleyball Academy Players get aquinted with the FIVB World Champions before they get to meet them Saturday afternoon.

Meet April Ross

Meet Jen Kessy

Here is a great interview with both of them

Come Out Saturday for A Special Meet and Greet with Beach Volleyball World Champions April Ross and Jen Kessy

2010-03-09T06:20:00.000-08:00

Saturday March 13th from 2-2:30pm the Rainier Volleyball Academy players will have the opportunity to ask questions, shake hands and get autographs from the FIVB Beach Volleyball World Champions, April Ross and Jen Kessy. The event is part of the Dig Deep to Stop Diabetes program sponsored by Catz Sports and will be at the Starfire Sports Complex in Tukwila, Washington. In addition to meeting the World Champions, Rainier Volleyball Academy players will learn the clubs plans for the summer outdoor season.

Kessey and Ross won the World Championship of Beach volleyball in 2009. They play in the FIVB circuit which is the world wide version of the AVP. Both players have their physical training with Catz Sports and Rainier Volleyball Academy conditioning coach Anya Tronson. The players will be on hand at the Catz Sports facility to sign autographs from 12-2pm before the special meet and greet with the Rainier Volleyball Academy Players.

Learn more about the FIVB Beach Tour here
Here is some more about Jen Kessy and April Ross

Four Players Earn Recognition for Mid-Season Efforts

2010-03-08T12:18:00.000-08:00

Through the busy middle of the junior volleyball season, four players have had standout performances over three tournaments for the Rainier Volleyball Academy club teams.

U15 players Hannah Franceschina and Malia Hue have been the heart and soul of the u15 Wildcats offense. Hannah attacking from the outside and Malia massing the ball into the heart of the defense. Their consistency and aggressive play have drawn the accolades of their coaches, teammates and fans and the club is proud to recognize them for their efforts.

For the u17 Panthers, it has been Aira Jose and Annie Phan who have really stood out. Aira has set the majority of the Panthers matches and is a consistent, motivating and passionate about volleyball. Annie brings great athletic ability to her defensive position and provided the rest of her team with the opportunity to shine by providing a solid passing platform for the rest of the team to build on.

Congrats to all of the Rainier Volleyball Academy players who have endured and excelled through the middle of the season and I hope to see all of your working hard to earn the final Club Directors Award of the Season.

Thanks,

Coach Mati

Wednesday Night Training at Dimmitt Middle School For Rest of Season

2010-03-08T11:05:00.000-08:00

The u15 Wildcats will practice from 6-7:30pm and the u17 Panthers will practice from 7:00 to 9pm. Please use the gate next to the Boys and Girls Club to access the gym. Remember there is no food or drink (even water) allowed in the Dimmitt Gym. Place all of your bags and water in the hallway to be used on breaks.

Power League Weekend for Both U15 Wildcats and U17 Panthers

2010-03-02T09:15:00.000-08:00

The U15 Wildcats and the U17 Panthers will compete in the third round of the USAV Puget Sound Region Volleyball Tournament this weekend. On Saturday March 6th the Wildcats will be at Evergreen State College in Olympia and on Sunday the Panthers will play at Franklin Pierce High School in Tacoma. Players will need to check with their coaches for arrival times and playing schedules.

Get Your Rainier Volleyball Academy Merchandise and Support Your Favorite RVA Players

2010-02-22T08:29:00.000-08:00

Click Here to Check out the Hoodies, bags, crewnecks, sweats and more available from GramsGiftCloset.com.

A Portion of the procedes will support the Rainier Volleyball Academy.

3-5pm Practices Added on Wednesday and Thursday

2010-02-16T19:42:00.001-08:00

Winter break will not keep the Rainier Volleyball Academy off the court this week ahead of the first weekend in the history of the club when both the U15 Wildcats and U17 Panthers will compete in tournament action.

Wednesday and Thursday from 3-5pm the Renton High School Auxiliary gym will be open for the teams to prepare for this weekend.

Photo Special: U15 Wildcats Making it Happen at Catz Sports Training

2010-02-12T21:51:00.001-08:00

Fitness coach Anya Tronson and Catz Sports training has received rave reviews from the Rainier Volleyball Academy players, coaches parents and staff this season. Here are some shots of the U15s gaining their competitive edge.

Congratulations to Courtney Bunch and Kristy Braunston, Power League #1 Players of the Round

2010-01-26T09:30:00.000-08:00

The Rainier Volleyball Academy took at the court for the first time in Puget Sound Region Power League action this month with the U17 Panthers and U15 Wildcats competing in the U18 and U15 power league divisions respectively.

RVA us proud to honor U17 Panthers outside hitter Courtney Bunch (Hazen High School) and U15 Wildcats libero and setter Kristy Braunston (Liberty High School) as the Academy players of the round.

Courtney brought intensity and leadership to the Panthers in their opening match. Despite playing her first year of club volleyball, she handled the pressure of the two day tournament and turned in a consistent performance throughout the competition. Her efforts inspired and complimented those of her teammates.

Kristy was the passing platform the U15 Wildcats built their offense from through much of the two day seeding tournament. Her competitive spark and excellent effort set the bar for her teammates to reach for. Her serves were aggressive and effective and her enthusiasm was contagious.

Overall, the U17 Panthers finished 51st in the region, paving the way for considerable improvement in standing to be made over the course of the season. The U15 Wildcats finished 37th in the region with a 5 win and 5 loss record through two days of competition.

Players of the round are chosen by the Rainier Volleyball Academy director and coaching staff.

15 Wildcats Get Ready for Opening Weekend

2010-01-21T06:38:00.001-08:00

The 15 Wildcats will take the court for the first time this weekend at Washington High School. The girls will play Saturday and Sunday this week in the USAV Puget Sound Region U15 Power League seeding tournament. In the first round, the Wildcats will face competition from the Puget Sound VBC and the Northwest Juniors Elite program.

Learning about Professional Volleyball

2010-01-21T06:19:00.000-08:00

The NCAA is the highest level of indoor volleyball in the United States and consequently, Americans do not get the opportunity to watch professsional volleyball played indoors. In much of Europe, parts of Asia and even Brazil and Puerto Rico, professional volleyball is thriving. Americans who are interested in following professional volleyball across the globe have a variety of options online to check it out.

European Professional Volleyball
Information courtesy of Bring It Promotions

How good is European professional volleyball?
It should first be noted that the highest levels of professional volleyball are not exclusive to Western Europe. In fact, Korea, Japan, and Brazil have some of the best (and highest paying) teams in the world. Within Europe, Italy is still generally considered the top league (top to bottom) for both men and women, but then things get a little tricky. Russia, Poland, and Turkey are good (and often very high-paying) leagues for both men and women, while Greece is strong (money and level) for men much more so than for the women. Other European Cup teams from the most competitive counties are on par with these tops teams as well. The second tier of European teams includes France, Spain, Germany, and Italy A2 but the top teams from these countries might compete at the highest level on any given year. There are also leagues or short term playing opportunities, often with different time frames for their seasons, in places like Indonesia, Puerto Rico, certain Arab Countries (UAE, Kuwait, Qatar, etc), Argentina, Chile, and even the Maldives. Level, compensation, and time of year really vary year to year with these countries, so please be in touch with us if you have any specific questions.

I keep hearing about the European Cups: Champions League, Top Teams Cup, and CEV Cup. What are these? Is it important for me to play on one of these teams?
Champions League, Top Teams Cup, and CEV Cup are international, cream-of-the-crop tournaments. Basically, some of the teams in the top countries play in multi-country playoffs to determine the best teams in all of Europe for any given year. Champions League is the highest level tournament; it consists of the top team from most of the top countries. Top Teams Cup is a separate tournament which usually consists of the #2 place team from the top countries. CEV Cup is yet another tournament, this one comprised (usually) of the third or fourth place team from each of the top countries. Some wealthier, more competitive teams from second tier countries also travel to play in these tournaments if they qualify. Yes, it is always best to play on the highest level European Cup team that you can. Playing on such teams increases your exposure to the highest levels of play and increases your stock for future seasons. Landing spots on European Cup teams can be challenging, even for National Team members, collegiate All-Americans, or National Team development players, but is more beneficial from a competition and financial standpoint.

Stats, updates and news about professional volleyball from Volleycountry.com

Learn Who are the Best Volleyball Clubs in the World
Read Interviews with Top International Volleyball Players
Check out professional volleyball photo galleries
Volleyball Videos: Highlights, Training Tips and More

Rainier Volleyball Academy Tournament Schedule

2010-01-19T08:57:00.000-08:00

Here are the tournaments that our U15 Wildcats and U17 Panthers squads will be competing in during the 2010 season. You can keep up to date on all of our club events by visiting our calendar.

U15 Wildcats Tournament Schedule
1/23-1/24 Power League #1
2/21 Power League #2
2/27 Saturday Warriors
3/6 Power League #3
3/20 Dominoe's Pizza
4/10 Power League #4
4/18 Tulip Festival (u16)

U17 Panthers Tournament Schedule
1/9-1/10 Power League #1
2/7 Power League #2
2/20 Saturday Warriors(u18)
3/7 Power League #3
3/21 Dominoe's (u17)
3/27 Saturday Warriors (u17)
4/3 Power League # 4
4/18 Laconner VBC (u17)

17 Panthers Prepare to Take the Court for the First Time

2010-01-08T15:31:00.000-08:00

The Rainier Volleyball Academy 17 Panther team will take to the court for the first round of USA Volleyball Puget Sound Region Power League play on Saturday January 9th at Bellevue Community College. The Panthers will face teams from Sudden Impact Volleyball Club and Lake Tapps Volleyball Club in the first round of seeding play and will move on to the afternoon round either at BCC or Seattle University based on their results.

Rainier Volleyball Academy Holiday Training Schedule

2009-12-21T08:59:00.000-08:00

The U15 Wild Cats will train three times through the Holiday break. Training sessions will be Monday December 21st, Tuesday December 22nd and Monday December 28th from 3-5pm at Renton High School.

U15 Wild Cat Holiday Training
Dec. 21 3-5pm Renton High School
Dec. 22 3-5pm Renton High School
Dec. 28 3-5pm Renton High School

U17 Panther Holiday Training
Dec. 28, 3-5pm Renton High School

Penn State Defeats Texas in Arguably the Best Championship Match in History

2009-12-21T08:36:00.000-08:00

Penn State Celebrates Their National Title. Image Courtesy of gopsusports.com

Penn State University volleyball had all ready established themselves as the greatest dynasty in all of college sports with their 101consecutive victories and back to back national titles. What more could one more win possibly do for this team?

Down 0-2 in the final to a motivated Texas team led by an unbelievable performance by their standout hitter Destiny Hooker, it appeared that Penn State had accomplished what they needed to and were happy with their accomplishment. Then, the Nittany Lions showed what makes them the best college sports team ever. They put their nose to the grind stone and fought and fought and fought through three of the most exciting sets that NCAA volleyball has ever seen to win the National championship 15-13 in the fifth set.

Not only was the match great for Penn State (and Texas who oozed class in their effort) but it was a great showcase on national television for the sport of volleyball. Fans and newcomers alike could appreciate the incredibly rallies, athletic prowress of the players and stunning emotion shown by both sides. It was the greatest volleyball match in recent memory featuring the best team ever.

RVA players, send the name of the Penn State player who plays the position you would most like to play to info@rainiervolleyball.com. Earn extra credit by telling us who won the National Coach of the Year Award for the NCAA.

Read More about the Penn State vs Texas Match

Mandatory Scorekeeping and Officiating Clinic Sunday December 13th at Kentwood High School

2009-12-10T08:46:00.000-08:00

All Rainier Volleyball Academy Players are required to attend the scorekeeping and officiating clinic at Kentwood High School on Sunday December 13th from 2-4pm. If you are not able to attend, arrangements must be made for you to attend the January 3rd clinic at Kitsap Pavillion.

Directions to Kentwood High School

What Can We Learn from UW's Upset Loss to Colorado State?

2009-12-04T22:39:00.000-08:00

The University of Washington Huskies volleyball team lost to the underdog Colorado State University Rams in the second round of the NCAA tournament on Friday night. The emotions of Husky fans ranged from heartbreak to disgust, but there are a few things that up and coming players who follow the Huskies can learn from their loss.

Serve and Serve Receive are the Most Important Elements of the Match
Washington had 16 service errors against CSU. That's enough points to win the match had they not given them all away. Head Coach Jim McLaughlin said, "You've got to win the serve-receive battle, and when we do that we win the match. We didn't do that tonight."

"Sixteen service errors is the equivalent of 16 kills for us," Colorado State coach Tom Hilbert said

Serving and serve receive are the two most crucial elements of the game. If you lose those, a huge talent advantage will often times not be enough to save you from defeat.

Talent Alone Does Not Win Matches
From Gohuskies.com,
"This was the final match for seniors Tamari Miyashiro, Jill Collymore, and Airial Salvo. Miyashiro, a two-time National Defensive Player of the Year, had 14 digs and fell just shy of the Pac-10 career record with 2,382 career digs, ninth-most in NCAA history. Collymore led the Pac-10 in aces the past two years and was a two-time Academic All-American, while Salvo started every match this year for UW and was All-Pac-10 honorable mention the past two seasons."

Those are just the accomplishments of UW's seniors. None of the players on the CSU roster have this kind of pedigree, but still they won the match 3-1. Volleyball is a team sport and the team that plays the best together on any given night will have an advantage over the team with the best individuals.

Winning is The Best Option, Even After You Lose
Coach McLaughlin was rather candid about his programs goals and his feelings after the match.

"At Washington you want to get to the Final Four, and when you don't get there it sucks, but I hope it's always like that to be honest."

The point he makes is that Washington has built a winning tradition with the goal of reaching the final four every season. Even though it is dissappointing for the team not to make it this season, no one is ready to change that goal. Winning happens all the time. Even when you lose.

It's Time to Support the Mighty Rainbows
The University of Hawaii faces USC on Saturday. Perhaps Dawg fans can find something to get excited about supporting the team from the islands. Rainier Volleyball Academy players will earn a little extra reward if they find their club director at practice on Tuesday night and tell him a little fact about his favorite volleyball team, the University of Hawaii.

Rainier Volleyball Academy Announces Fair Trade Sports as Official Uniform Supplier

2009-12-03T08:54:00.000-08:00

The Rainier Volleyball Academy and Fair Trade Sports have partnered to make sure that our girls will not be wearing uniforms that take advantage of young girls in underprivileged nations when they take the court this year.

"It's important to us as a club that we take whatever measures that we can to make sure that young girls around the world are not working in unsafe conditions or being denied opportunities to better themselves so that we can play a game," said Rainier Volleyball Academy Director Mati Bishop.

"There are things in this world far more important than volleyball, and we're really proud to be working with Fair Trade Sports to help bring awareness to some of these issues," he continued.

Fair Trade Sports was the first company to market Fair Trade Certified sporting equipment and apparel in the United States. Their equipment is available online through FairTradeSports.com and also at Whole Foods and other retailers. All of their equipment is made in safe conditions by adult workers.

In addition to ensuring that no child labor is used in the manufacturing of their equipment, Fair Trade Sports also donates 100% of its after-tax profits to children's charities.

In addition to uniforms for the team, Fair Trade Sports will also offer t-shirts that supporters of the club can purchase as part of a fundraiser.

For more information or to reserve your t-shirt, email info@rainiervolleyball.com or call 425.344.0408.

Tournament Time is Here, Fill Out Your Brackets

2009-12-02T16:07:00.001-08:00

The NCAA Volleyball Tournament starts Thursday night. Washington and Washington State are both playing in the big dance for the first time in recent memory. The struggling as of late Huskies have a fairly easy path to the final four if they can find the consistency they had early in the season when they seemed unbeatable.

Click Here to Get a Printable Version of the Entire Bracket.

Fill out your guesses about who is going to win and bring your bracket to practice on Friday to be entered to win some great early season prizes.

Rainier Volleyball Academy Announces Two Teams with Possibility of a Third.

2009-11-24T09:43:00.000-08:00

The Rainier Volleyball Academy will field a U15 and U17 team for the 2009-2010 Puget Sound Power League Season and is considering adding another u17 team depending on interest of additional players.

The RVA U15 squad will be coached by Tahoma High School head coach Sally Eager and feature a collection of talented young players, most with several years of club volleyball experience. The U17 squad will be coached by Renton High School head coach Mati Bishop and feature players from Hazen, West Seattle and Liberty High Schools.

Both teams will begin practice the week of December 1st. Players still interested in club volleyball can apply for an invitation to a training session where they can potentially become a part of the third RVA club team.

Interested players should email Mati Bishop at info@rainiervolleyball.com.

Last Chance Tryout for Rainier Volleyball Academy Monday November 23rd at Renton High School

2009-11-20T08:17:00.001-08:00

The first round of tryouts for the Rainier Volleyball Academy was a huge success. Thanks to everyone who came out (it was an impressive group of girls) and thanks to everyone who worked hard to make the tryouts happen.

We are going to have three teams this year and still have a few roster spots open for U15, U16 and U17/18 players. There will be a last chance tryout on Monday November 23rd from 7-9pm in the Renton High School Aux. Gym. Immediately following the tryout will be a signing party where parents and players will officially become part of the Rainier Volleyball Academy.

Last Chance Tryout and Signing Party
Monday November 23rd, 7-9pm
Renton High School Aux. Gym (Click Here for a Google Map)
Tryout Fee: $20*

*Players who attended the November 18th tryout will not be required to pay the $20 try out fee.

Email info@rainiervolleyball.com or matibishop@gmail.com for more information.

The Rainier Volleyball Academy Practice and Events Calendar

2009-11-17T06:49:00.001-08:00

Please check our calendar often to stay in the know about practice times and locations and special events from the Rainier Volleyball Academy and RainierVolleyball.com. Please scroll down the calendar to see the evening events.

Bellevue Community College Bulldogs Among the Favorites at NWAACC Championship Tournament

2009-11-15T14:53:00.000-08:00

The 2009 BCC Bulldogs
Image Courtesy of NWAACC.org

The BCC Bulldogs volleyball program lost just once this year on their way to the NWAACC Volleyball North Division Title. This Thursday they start the championship tournament with a match against Lower Columbia Community College. Shoreline and Highline Community Colleges will also be representing the Seattle area in this year's tournament.

Check out the NWAACC Tournament Bracket Here

Savannah Feist, Daniell Rehn and Heidi Bell led the BCC Bulldogs attack this year with over 400 kills combined and a .238 hitting percentage. Veronica Wetzel and Marrissa Fujimoto set for he Bulldogs this season while Patti Reeves anchored the defense with 264 digs.

Get a look at the BCC Squad at NWAACC.org

Washington Crowns It's High School Volleyball Champions

2009-11-15T14:39:00.000-08:00

The High School volleyball season is officially over in the state of Washington. Countless hours of practice went into this years volleyball efforts. Congratulations to all of the players and coaches who made this year memorable.

2009 Washington State Volleyball Champions

4A Mead
3A Bishop Blanchet
2A Pullman
1A King's
2B Colfax
1B St. John-Endicott

View all of the state tournament brackets at WIAA.com

Rainier Volleyball Academy Tryouts Scheduled for November 18th

2009-11-12T15:25:00.001-08:00

The Rainier Volleyball Academy will hold it's Junior volleyball tryouts for boys and girls on November 18th at Dimmitt Middle School in Renton Washington. Cost for the tryouts is $20 and the amount will be applicible to club dues for players selected to participate on their U15, U16, U17 or boys volleyball program.

Junior Volleyball Tryouts
November 18th, 2009 at Dimmitt Middle School (Get Directions)
4-6:30pm Boys Tryout
6:30 to 9pm U15, U16 and U17/U18 Girls Tryouts
Tryout Cost is $15 in advance and $20 at the door and will be applicable to club dues for players chosen for the academy.

Email Info@RainierVolleyball.com to Secure your Spot at Tryouts

The Rainier Volleyball Academy will be accepting 36 girls and 12 boys into the program this year. Every Rainier Volleyball Academy team is scheduled to receive a 10 week fitness training program with Catz Sports in Tukwila. Catz sports provides training services for the US Men's National Team and Misty May-Treanor as well as other beach volleyball stars.

Congratulations Tahoma on Your Berth to State

2009-11-07T10:43:00.000-08:00

The Tahoma Bears barely made it to the district tournament and then made the most of their opportunity by sweeping past #2 Graham-Kapowskin and Stadium of Tacoma to earn a trip to the State Championship.

First year Bears coach (and Rainier Volleyball Academy Coaching Director) Sally Eager was a bit amazed by the performance her girls put together Friday and excited to take the program to it's first state tournament since 1978.

The Bears will be in action Saturday to determine their seeding for the State Tournament. Coach Eager is planning on coaching a U-15 team for the Rainier Volleyball Academy's inagural USAV Club season.

Read about the Tahoma Bears and Coach Sally at SeattleTimes.com

#4 Washington Shreds #5 Stanford 3-0. Can they Be Considered Favorites for a National Championship?

2009-11-07T10:26:00.000-08:00

Setter Jenna Hagglund ran the UW Offense to Near Perfection.
Image Courtesy of GoHuskies.com

The University of Washington Huskies dismantled a young Stanford Cardinal team in straight sets Friday night in front of more than 4,500 fans at the Bank of American Center. It was vengeance for the Huskies first loss of the season which occurred in five sets at the hands of the Cardinal on October 1oth.

Uw hit .226 on the night with Kindra Carlson and Jill Collymore tying for the team lead with 12 each. The Huskies also tallied six service aces all together with Collymore lasering four of them past the Cardinal serve receive.

After such a convincing win over a perennial favorite, many would say the Huskies have the most stake to claim towards the title of favorites for the NCAA Division 1 title. The only real blotch on UW's record is their 1-3 loss to WSU last month. They've lost only 10 sets in 22 matches. They have defeated ranked teams consistently and easily throughout the season and have a solid core of veteran leaders. What is your take? Are the Huskies the favorites for the title? Leave your comments below.

Read the Stanford match Report at GoHuskies.com

Rainier Volleyball Academy to Offer Club Volleyball in 2009-2010 Season

2009-11-02T07:47:00.000-08:00

The Rainier Volleyball Academy will offer a club volleyball program during the 2009-2010 USA Volleyball club season. The academy teams will compete as part of USA Volleyball's Puget Sound Region and will represent the Rainier Volleyball Academy from December 2009 to May of 2010.

The goals for our club will revolve around developing players and providing positive experiences for junior volleyball players on the Western shores of Lake Washington. Currently, practices will be held at Renton High School and costs for the club experience are expected to be in the neighborhood of $750. There will also be a limited club volleyball offering that will provide an introduction to players who may not be ready to committ to a full club season.

In addition, there are plans for a boys program based out of Renton High School.

The initial coaching roster will consist of Club Director and Renton High School Head Coach, Mati Bishop, Tahoma High School Head Coach and Club Coaching Director Sally Eager and former Dash Pt. Volleyball Club coach and Lindbergh High School Graduate, Liz Zwicker.

The decision to begin club play is ahead of schedule for the Rainier Volleyball Academy, but was decided upon when Dash Pt. Volleyball Club elected not to field teams for the 2009-2010 season.

More information concerning tryouts and costs will be posted as soon as it is available. If you are interested in playing for the Raineir Volleyball Academy or would be interested in coaching a club team please contact Mati Bishop at info@rainiervolleyball.com.

SPU Trying to Stay in GNAC Title Chase

2009-10-30T07:59:00.000-07:00

Paige Hoffman
Image Courtesy of SPUFalcons.com

The Seattle Pacific University Falcons fell in four to Montana State Billings on Thursday night. The loss leaves them 1.5 games back of conference leading Alaska Anchorage Seawolves.

SPU has made a remarkable turnaround from where they were a year ago when they struggled to find any sort of success on the volleyball court. Saturday night they travel to Bellingham to face Western Washington in a rematch of their early season clash that SPU won in straight sets. The match could serve as a defining moment for the SPU season.

Read the Montana State Billings Match Report at SPUFalcons.com

Upset Update: #3 Huskies Humiliated in Pullman

2009-10-24T10:02:00.000-07:00

Kelsey Dunaway

Image Courtesy of GoHuskies.com

Friday night looked a little too much like a night off for the Huskies as they traveled to the the Washington State Cougars, one of the weaker teams in their otherwise brutal PAC-10 schedule. The Cougars however where up for the chance to upset the #3 team in the country and did so enthusiastically.

Washington led most statistical categories, but gave the match away at the service line with 18 service errors. Washington State out dug the Huskies and earned their first victory over the Huskies since 2002.

Next up for the Huskies is a trip to the desert to begin the second half of PAC-10 play against Arizona and Arizona State.

Read the Match Report at GoHuskies.com

Seattle Times High School Volleyball Poll 10-19-09

2009-10-20T07:00:00.000-07:00

Not much changed in the rankings this week, but there could be some movement coming up after a big match between #3 Graham-Kapowskin and #4 Curtis Tuesday night. Teams are closoing out league play over the next week then it's on to the post season where the real contenders will sort themselves out by earning bids to state.

Read the commentary at SeattleTimes.com

Class 4A
1. Mead (Spokane)
2. Olympia
3. Graham-Kapowsin
4. Curtis (University Place)
5. Auburn Riverside
6. Skyview (Vancouver)
7. Richland
8. Southridge (Kennewick)
9. Lewis and Clark (Spokane)
10. Kamiak

Class 3A
1. Mount Spokane
2. Bishop Blanchet
3. Eastside Catholic
4. Seattle Prep
5. Kennedy Catholic (Burien)
6. Prairie (Brush Prairie)
7. Mount Si (Snoqualmie)
8. Auburn Mountainview
9. North Kitsap (Poulsbo)
10. West Valley (Yakima)

Hopes and Prayers for Kennedy's Jennica McPherson

2009-10-20T06:46:00.000-07:00

Image Courtesy of SeattleTimes.com

Please check out the Seattle Times Article about Kennedy Lancer's right side hitter Jennica McPherson who has been diagnosed with a cancerous tumor the size of a golf ball in her lung. Take some time this week to celebrate Jennica's fighting spirit and include her in your prayers as she prepares for surgery.

Good Luck Jennica. From the Rainier Volleyball Academy.

Read the SeattleTimes.com Article Here

Congratulations Dave Shoji. Hawaii's Head Coach Wins His 1,000th Match

2009-10-18T13:08:00.000-07:00

Image Courtesy of HonoluluAdvertiser.com

The University of Hawaii Rainbow Wahine won thier 12th match in a row Saturday night in four sets over WAC rival New Mexico State, but their night was focused on another milestone as head coach Dave Shoji earned his 1,000th win at the helm of one of the best programs in the nation. Shoji becomes just the second NCAA head coach ever to reach 1,000 wins. The first was UCLA's Andy Banachowski.

Read more about Dave Shoji's Accomplishment in the Honolulu Advertiser

Incredible Footage from an Incredible High School Volleyball Match Between Kamehameha and Iolani in February 2008

2009-10-18T11:24:00.000-07:00

Volleyball is huge in Hawaii and that is in large part an understatment, but this footage of two of the best high school programs in the state doing battle with the #1 ranking on the line in 2008 is better than much of the college volleyball that you'll find out there. Check it out and watch all sorts of Hawaiian volleyball action at DigitalSportstv.com.

Renton High School Volleyball Senior Night 2009 Highlights

2009-10-17T20:05:00.000-07:00

The Renton Indians put together their most exciting match of the year on Senior night 2009. Despite several players having their best performance of the year, the Indians fell to Evergreen 1-3, but the fans got their share of great moments. Check out all of the videos.

Mt. Spokane Moves to the Top of Seattle Times 3A Rankings

2009-10-15T07:12:00.000-07:00

Mt. Spokane moved to the top of the Seattle Times 3A rankings this week, bypassing Bishop Blanchet who had held the top spot for the previous two weeks and Mead solidified their spot atop the 4A rankings with a dominant performance at the cross-over tournament this weekend.

Read the commentary about the rankings at SeattleTimes.com

Class 4A
1. Mead (Spokane)
2. Olympia
3. Graham-Kapowsin
4. Curtis (University Place)
5. Auburn Riverside
6. Skyview (Vancouver)
7. Kamiakin (Kennewick)
8. Richland
9. Lewis and Clark (Spokane)
10. Monroe

Class 3A
1. Mount Spokane
2. Bishop Blanchet (Seattle)
3. Eastside Catholic (Sammamish)
4. Seattle Prep
5. Kennedy Catholic (Burien)
6. Prairie (Brush Prairie)
7. Mount Si (Snoqualmie)
8. Auburn Mountainview
9. North Kitsap (Poulsbo)
10. West Valley (Yakima)

UW Falls to Fourth After First Loss of Season to Stanford

2009-10-13T07:54:00.000-07:00

Setter Jenna Hagglund
Image Courtesy of GoHuskies.com

The University of Washington Huskies tasted defeat for the first time in 2009 over the weekend when they fell in five sets to Stanford on the road. The match marked not only UW's first match lost, but also their first sets lost this season.

The AVCA rewarded Washington for their previous perfection and only dropped them from #3 to #4 in the standings. They were leap frogged by Hawaii and Stanford moved from #7 to #5 after the win.

Next up for the Huskies is another big weekend against two ranked opponents, this time in the friendly confines of the Bank of America Arena. Friday night they face off against #12 UCLA and on Friday they face #16 USC.

Check out the Seattle Times Feature about Senior Libero Tamari Miyashiro

Read the Stanford Match Report at GoHuskies.com

SPU Wins Again in 5, Strengthens GNAC Lead

2009-10-11T09:43:00.000-07:00

Courtney Weedman had 39 Assists.

Image Courtesy of SPUFalcons.com

For the second time this season Seattle Pacific University's women's volleyball team beat Northwest Nazarene in five sets. First to open their conference schedule, and now to extend the GNAC lead to one and a half games.

For the second time this week, outside hitter Sarah Risser tallied 22 kills, a season high that she set mid-week against Central Washington.

The road doesn't get any easier for the Falcons this week as they face Alaska Anchorage at Brougham Pavilion Thursday night. Anchorage is just a game and a half behind SPU in the standings.

Read the match report at SPUFalcons.com

SPU Falcons Volleyball Continue Their Winning Ways in Ellensberg

2009-10-09T10:36:00.000-07:00

Outside Hitter Sarah Risser
Image Courtesy of SPUFalcons.com

Outside Hitter Sarah Risser led the GNAC leading SPU Falcons to a hard fought four set win over Central Washington University Thursday night with a career best 22 kills. The match finished with scored of 25-12, 25-23, 23-25 and 26-24 in favor of the Falcons.

SPU will attempt to defend their half game lead in the GNAC standings Saturday night when they welcome Northwest Nazerene to Brougham Pavillion for their "Dig Pink Night" fundraiser for breast cancer awareness. The Falcons won a five set thriller earlier in the season against Northwest Nazerene and will be looking to solidy their position atop the conference standings.

Read the match report at SPUFalcons.com

Seattle Times State Volleyball Rankings for The Week of October 5th

2009-10-06T08:13:00.000-07:00

No commentary from the Seattle Times this week as they post their high school volleyball rankings. The Seattle area is absent from the 4A rankings and dominates the 3A rankings.

4A
1. Mead (Spokane)
2. Olympia
3. Graham-Kapowsin
4. Curtis (University Place)
5. Skyview (Vancouver)
6. Auburn Riverside
7. Kamiakin (Kennewick)
8. Richland
9. Lewis and Clark (Spokane)
10. Jackson (Mill Creek)

3A
1. Bishop Blanchet (Seattle)
2. Eastside Catholic (Sammamish)
3. Mount Spokane
4. Seattle Prep
5. Camas
6. Kennedy Catholic (Burien)
7. Prairie (Brush Prairie)
8. Mount Si (Snoqualmie)
9. Auburn Mountainview
10. North Kitsap (Poulsbo)

Huskies Maintain Perfection and #3 Ranking

2009-10-06T07:59:00.000-07:00

Tamari Miyashiro
Image Courtesy of GoHuskies.com

3-0 has become a familiar feeling for Husky volleyball fans this season. The #3 team in the country defeated both Arizona State and #18 ranked Arizona 3-0 in the first home weekend of PAC-10 play.

The Huskies hit a season high .413 against Arizona Saturday night and senior libero Tamari Miyashiro moved up to third on the PAC-10 all time digs list in the victory. Setter Jenna Hagglund moved to third all time in assists for the University of Washington.

Next up for the Dawgs is a tough road trip to California for matches against the Cal Bears and Stanford Cardinal this weekend.

Follow UW Volleyball at GoHuskies.com

Renton Rebounds, Hammers Hazen 3-0

2009-10-02T08:33:00.000-07:00

Freshman middle hitter Hannah Fransechina had the best night of her young Renton High School Volleyball career posting four kills and a dominate performance in the middle of the court as the Indians cruised to a 3-0 win over the Hazen Highlanders.

Sarah Nelson led the Indians again with 21 kills. He also chimmed in with three aces and three digs. Junior setter Aira Jose was credited with 24 assists and Maria Yound continued to lead the team in blocks, adding two more on the night.

Next up for for both teams is an early morning rematch on Saturday when they meet in the first match of pool d play in the first annual Lindbergh High School volleyball tournament. Renton returns to league play on Tuesday with an away match against Mt. Rainier.

The GNAC Volleyball Tides May Be Changing as SPU Sweeps Western

2009-10-01T10:42:00.001-07:00

Image Courtesy of SPUFalcons.com

The Seattle Pacific University Falcons did something they have not done since 2006 Thursday night, beat Western Washington University on the volleyball court, and they did it in convincing fashion.

The final score of the match was 25-20, 25-22, 25-13. Setter Courtney Weedman had 22 assists for the Falcons and Sarah Risser led the team with 17 kills.

The Falcons are now 4-0 in GNAC play and 10-6 overall. Western falls to 3-2 in GNAC play and also post a 10-6 record overall.

Read the full match report at SPUFalcons.com

Renton vs Lindbergh Volleyball Pics by Liz Biggs

2009-09-30T07:51:00.001-07:00

Liz Biggs made the trip to Lindbergh to photograph the Renton Indians vs Lindbergh Eagles match on September 29th. Click here to see here entire photo gallery.

Renton and Lindbergh Split Season Series

2009-09-30T07:40:00.000-07:00

Maria Young and Aira Jose Combine for a Block

Image Courtesy of Liz Biggs

The Renton Indians got their 2009 season off to a fast start when they beat the Lindbergh Eagles in their opening match on September 8th. Lindbergh returned the favor last night with a 3-0 victory over Renton.

Maria Young had a season high three blocks, all in the first set which Renton lost 24-26 after getting out to an 7-0 start. Sarah Nelson contributed 14 kills and three blocks on the night and setter Aira Jose tallied 16 assists as the Indians fell to 3-2 overall and 1-1 in conference play.

Next up for the Indians is a home match against their other in district rival, Hazen High School. The match will be played Thursday October 1st at Renton High School. Varsity starts at 7pm, admission is free to Renton High School Students and $5 to the general public.

12-0 Washington Volleyball Holds at #3 in the AVCA Rankings

2009-09-29T09:26:00.001-07:00

Tamari Miyashiro is the New UW Career Digs Leader
Image Courtesy of GoHuskies.com

The Huskies still have not lost a game, much less a match this season and after two wins in Oregon over #7 Oregon and Oregon State, they are now the only 2-0 team in the PAC-10. The California Bears are the only other PAC-10 team without a loss.

Washington libero Tamari Miyashiro was named the PAC-10 player of the week after posting 33 digs in the two matches and scoring a season high three service aces in the match against Oregon. Miyashiro also became the all time digs leader in University of Washington history, passing Candace Lee who's previous record was 2,048. She currently is ranked fifth in PAC-10 history.

The Huskies come home this weekend to face Arizona and Arizona State at the Bank of America Center. Arizona State is first on the list with a Friday, 7pm first serve and the Arizona match is Saturday at 7pm.

Your Guess is as Good as the Seattle Times in This Week's High School Volleyball Polls

2009-09-29T09:10:00.001-07:00

It seemed like a no brainer the Bishop Blanchet would take the number #1 3A ranking after beating both #1 Eastside Catholic and #3 Seattle Prep while they were ranked #2 last week, but then the Kent Classic tournament happened... and muddled things up. Bishop Blanchet finished number 24 out of 27 teams and nearly lost their bid for a #1 spot, but the Times went with them anyway due to the circumstances surrounding the tournament and the strength of their regular season victories.

Read about the Seattle Times Ranking Process Here

4A Rankings
1. Mead (Spokane)
2. Olympia
3. Graham-Kapowsin
4. Curtis (University Place)
5. Skyview (Vancouver)
6. Auburn Riverside
7. Kamiakin (Kennewick)
8. Richland
9. Lewis and Clark (Spokane)
10. Jackson (Mill Creek)

3A Rankings
Class 3A
1. Bishop Blanchet
2. Eastside Catholic
3. Seattle Prep
4. Camas
5. Mount Spokane
6. Kennedy Catholic (Burien)
7. Prairie (Brush Prairie)
8. Mount Si (Snoqualmie)
9. Timberline (Lacey)
10. Shorecrest (Shoreline)

US Women Will Play for Bronze after Loss to Dominican Republic

2009-09-26T20:30:00.000-07:00

Hitter Nancy Metcalf
Image Courtesy of USAVolleyball.org

The USA Women are in jeopardy of losing their #2 world ranking after they lost in the semi-finals of the NORCECA World Championship tournament in Puerto Rico on Satuday.

The Dominican will play in the gold medal match for the first time in 21 tournaments. The USA will miss the championship match for just the second time in the last 18 tournaments.

Former UW setter Courtney Thompson featured as a sub in the match that the USA had five chances to win at match point.

Read the full match report at USAVolleyball.org

3 is Greater Than 7, Huskies Go Duck Hunting In Oregon

2009-09-25T22:11:00.000-07:00

Hitter Kindra Carlson Took Center Stage
Image Courtesy of GoHuskies.com

The University of Washington Huskies are now undefeated in non-conference and PAC-10 volleyball play after winning their third match against a top ten ranked opponent with a 3-0 sweep of #7 Oregon.

Hitter Kindra Carlson took center stage tonight with 13 kills and two of the teams season high 11 aces. Tamari Miyashiro led the team with 18 digs. Jenna Haglund guided the attack with 35 assists.

Next up for the Huskies is a a Sunday match-up against Oregon State at 2pm on Sunday.

Read the match report at GoHuskies.com

Renton Rolls with 3-0 Win Over West Seattle

2009-09-25T08:47:00.000-07:00

Renton High School has not been known for volleyball since the early 1980s when they won three consecutive state championships, but this year there is a group of girls looking to change that perception. Last night they finished their non-league schedule with a 3-0 win over West Seattle High School.

Senior hitter Sarah Nelson led the way for Renton once again with 18 kills. Junior setter Aira Jose was credited with 22 assists and senior hitter Tu-Ahn Dinh chimed in with 3 aces. The Renton squad used their substitutions liberally to maximize the strengths of the entire squad.

Next up for the Indians is a road match against their in district rival Lindbergh on Tuesday September 29th.

Other Seamount League Volleyball Results

Evergreen 3::0 Mt. Rainier
Highline 3::0 Hazen
Lindbergh 3::0 Foster

Renton vs Foster Photos by Liz Biggs

2009-09-24T10:43:00.000-07:00

Huge thanks to Liz Biggs for photographing the Renton vs Foster match-up. You can view all of Liz's photos here.

#2 Bishop Blanchet Sweeps #1 Eastside Catholic and More Seattle Volleyball Results

2009-09-24T09:10:00.000-07:00

Chloe Sliger put up 32 assists and Summer Nash pounded down 13 kills for #2 Bishop Blanchett in their sweep of #1 ranked Eastside Catholic Wednesday night. The win will almost certainly move the Braves to the #1 ranking in 3A on Monday when the Seattle Times publishes their poll. The Braves record is now 5-0 and Eastside Catholic falls to 4-1.

Issaquah continued their early season struggles with a five set loss to Woddenville in Kingco 4A play Wednesday. Issaquah had started the season ranked #3 in the state and has since fallen out of the rankings after defeats to both Kenwood and now Woodenville.

More Wednesday Night Prep Volleyball Results

Garfield 3::1 Inglemoor
Auburn 3::2 Kentridge
Kentwood 3::0 Tahoma
Lakeside 3::1 Holy Names
Rainier Beach 3::2 Cleveland

Renton Volleyball Opens Seamount League Play with a 3-1 Win Over Foster

2009-09-23T09:33:00.000-07:00

Taylor Dejohnette and Justine Lay combined for 13 digs on the night and Senior outside hitter Sarah Nelson put down 19 kills to lead the Renton Indians to victory over Foster High School 3-1 Tuesday night. The win is the first in league play for Renton who are now 1-0 in the Seamount league and 2-1 overall.

The Renton squad was sluggish through the first two sets, splitting with Foster by scores of 25-21 and 20-25. The Indians found their form in the third and fourth sets winning 25-20 and 25-14 to finish the match. The team finished with a season high 17 aces and 16 digs. Junior setter Aira Jose finished the night with 22 assists.

Next up for Renton is a non-league home match against West Seattle Thursday night. Tickets are avaiable at the door for $5. The match is free to Renton High School students.

It's a Huge Week For 3A Volleyball in Seattle, and An Early Week 4A Upset

2009-09-22T09:15:00.000-07:00

Monday kicked off a big week of match-ups between 3A state championship contenders when #2 Bishop Blanchet downed #3 Seattle Prep 3-1. On Wednesday, the #1 and #2 teams meet when Eastside Catholic meets Bishop Blanchet.

In 4A action, #6 Graham-Kapowsin pulled the upset 3-1 over #2 Curtis. Expect a shake up in the rankings again this week as Graham-Kapowsin continues to impress as the season wears on.

Here are Some More Monday Night Volleyball Scores

Holy Names 3::1 Bainbridge
Ballard 3::1 Eastlake
#1Eastside Catholic 3::1 Lakeside
Kentridge 3::1 Kent Meridian
#10 Mt. Si 3::0 Sammamish

The Seattle Times State Volleyball Rankings for Week 3

Class 4A
1. Mead (Spokane)
2. Curtis (University Place)
3. Olympia
4. Monroe
5. Skyview (Vancouver)
6. Graham-Kapowsin
7. Lewis and Clark (Spokane)
8. Auburn Riverside
9. Kamiakin (Kennewick)
10. Richland

Class 3A
1. Eastside Catholic
2. Bishop Blanchet
3. Seattle Prep
4. Camas
5. Mount Spokane
6. Kennedy Catholic (Burien)
7. Prairie (Brush Prairie)
8. Shorecrest (Shoreline)
9. Auburn Mountainview
10. Mount Si (Snoqualmie)

Get the full rankings article at SeattleTimes.com

Nutrition Tips of the Olympians

2009-09-21T09:24:00.000-07:00

US Men's Volleyball Head Athletic Trainer Aaron Brock

Image Courtesy of USAVolleyball.org

I ran across a great article this week at USAVolleyball.org and had to repost it for the players reading this blog. It seems like common sense for the most part, but nutrition is one of the areas that my players ask me the most questions about. Thanks to US Men's National Team Trainer Aaron Brock for putting this together.

Read "Olympic Caliber Nutrition" at USAVolleyball.org