For the week of  October 3 - 9, 2001

Rallies lift Wood River spikers over Gooding

Filer arrives Thursday for SCIC test

---

They didn’t play their best volleyball, but Wood River High School varsity volleyball players shrugged off Gooding’s upset threat and rallied past the visiting Senators Thursday.

Competing well, Wood River (14-11, 5-2 league) posted an exciting 15-11, 17-15 Sawtooth Central Idaho Conference victory on its home court—after trailing 11-4 in the first game and 13-9 in the second.

One of Wood River’s strong points is serving. And serving saved the Wolverine bacon against a Gooding squad that generally did a better job hitting and blocking at the net.

With Gooding ahead 11-4 in the first game, sophomore Jessica King stepped to the line and dished out 10 consecutive winners. A kill by another sophomore, Liz Rippon, finished the 15-11 Hailey win.

The #1 Wolverine server, junior Aubrey Kirtley, retrieved four straight points in the second game for a 9-9 tie, but Wood River fell behind again, 13-9, on Kristen Sabala’s serve for the Senators.

Wood River resolutely chipped away, got a fortunate replay on a close line call and worked its way back to 14-12—Kelsea Ballantyne making a couple of key defensive plays and sophomore Natalie Green getting some timely tips.

Rippon made two clutch serves, helped by a Whitney Richards block, for a 14-14 tie. A kill by Jessica King (3 kills) made it 15-15 on Kirtley’s serve, then King added another kill and Kristine Hilt (3 kills, 3 blocks) ended the match 17-15 with a crushing block on Gooding hitter Ayla Wilkins.

Richards (5 assists), a junior, and sophomore setter Katie Sturtevant (3 kills, 5 assists) were other big contributors.

Wood River, having traveled to Jerome Tuesday, takes on the tough Filer Wildcats (12-9, 5-2 league) in a big SCIC encounter Thursday, Oct. 4 on the Hailey hardwoods.

Last Tuesday Filer’s hitting and serving took care of visiting Wood River 15-8, 16-14 as the ‘Cats were led by 5-10 junior Jenae Hymas (9 kills). But Gooding (12-12, 2-5) upset Filer Monday to throw another wrench into the league action.

Wood River, Filer and Buhl all stood at 5-2 through Monday; Declo is 4-2 with matches left against Filer, Buhl and Wood River; Gooding is 2-5 and Kimberly 0-8.

"Senior Night" versus Declo is Tuesday, Oct. 9, the final homecourt appearance for Laurel Williams, Kristine Hilt, Jamie King and Ashley Nilsen.

"It’s all in our hands," said Wood River coach Reamy Goodwin about the prospects of his team winning the league.

 

At Idaho Falls

Wood River won just one of its five matches during last weekend’s 12-team Bonneville/Hillcrest Classic tournament in Idaho Falls.

But the one win Friday was huge. Wood River defeated 2000 state tournament runner-up Preston in three games, winning 15-13 in the third. "We played very well against Preston," Goodwin said.

In pool play, Wood River got bombed by Hillcrest of Idaho Falls then played really well in a loss to Cokeville, Wyo.

Saturday, in bracket action, Wood River won its first game against Highland of Pocatello and maintained a 13-10 lead in the third and deciding game before falling 16-14. Then Green River (Wyo.) sent Wood River packing in two games.

"It was a good tournament for us. I just wish we could have beaten Highland," he said.

The Idaho Mountain Express is distributed free to residents and guests throughout the Sun Valley, Idaho resort area community. Subscribers to the Idaho Mountain Express will read these stories and others in this week's issue.