You couldn't find a closer volleyball match than Tuesday night's clash between the #2-seeded Minico Spartans and #3-seeded Wood River Wolverines in the Great Basin Conference tournament at Twin Falls.
At stake was a berth in the State 4A tournament Oct. 30-31 in northern Idaho. The winner would qualify. The loser would stay home and see its 2009 season end. In total points, it was extremely close—112 for Minico, 108 for Wood River.
Down two games to none, Minico rallied for a 24-26, 23-25, 25-22, 25-23, 15-12 triumph that meant the Spartans swept the season series between the two teams 4-0. Wood River played very well and fell short.
Eighth-year Wood River coach Tim Richards said, "It was very close and could have gone either way. Disappointing of course, especially for our seniors. The will to win was there. All season we've been learning how to finish. We're still learning."
Wood River was up two games and looking to close it out, tied 19-19 in the third game. But Minico prevailed. And the Wolverines were up 23-21 in the fourth, two points away from state, before Minico stormed back. Richards said, "We just didn't pass well and missed too many serves."
He added, "But we had a lot of kills, 58 of them, and Grace Lagodich had a really good match with a season-high 23 kills and only seven errors. She and Monica (Garceau, 9 kills) both had good matches. And Ellen Johnson had 15 kills.
"It was tight all the way but we hung together. It's too bad, because I feel the girls would have done well at state. Overall, the season was positive and the team had good growth."
Wood River (19-17) fell one match win shy of the program's 10th consecutive 20-win season, and 23rd state tournament berth. The early exit meant Wood River's string of three consecutive Great Basin tournament titles came to an end.
The Wolverines, beaten by Minico in three games Monday night in the winner bracket of the double elimination tournament, stayed alive earlier Tuesday with a 25-19, 21-25, 25-11, 25-23 win that eliminated #6-seeded Burley. Then, the Wood River-Minico dogfight lasted until 11:15 p.m.
On Thursday, top-seeded Twin Falls battled Minico for the conference title. But Twin Falls coach and former Wood River High School basketball player B.J. Price had already earned his first trip as a coach to a state volleyball tourney. Minico will travel north, too.
