West Albany finish unbeaten in conference - Albany Democrat Herald

West Albany came close to its goal of going undefeated inMid-Willamette Conference play in 2010.

A five-set loss to Silverton was the only misstep.

The Bulldogs kept that goal this season and reached the finishline Thursday night with a three-set home sweep of Woodburn.

Set scores were 25-4, 25-5, 25-3.

West coach Kelli Backer said her team accomplished its goal byfocusing on one day at a time.

"Win each and every day," Backer said. "That's kind of been ourmotto all season. What are our goals for tonight? Let's focus onwhat we do on our side. It doesn't matter who is over there on thatside."

The West junior varsity joined the undefeated league ranks aswell. The freshmen went 13-1.

Senior Olivia Irving, a three-year varsity player, has seen herteam come close to that 14-0 mark in the past and just fallshort.

"It's nice to know we worked so hard and it actually paid off,"said Irving, an outside hitter and middle blocker.

Thursday, junior Amber Parker had a team-high nine kills andsophomore Whitney Webster added seven. Tani Stephens had 12 acesand Irving had seven.

West finished the Mid-Willamette season losing just one set, toSouth Albany.

"We've got girls that are accepting their role no matter what itis," Backer said. "There's not the ‘we're the seniors, you're thefreshmen' attitude. It's ‘we're the West Albany varsity and we'regoing to win the day.'"

Backer said her team has lived that motto. She told them to takecare of the mental aspects and she would handle the physical partsin practice.

Irving says her team made big strides toward their goal inpractice.

"A lot of it was we just pushed each other," she said. "We kneweach other was our biggest competition, so in practice we wouldpush each other."

West will host a round-of-32 play-in match Tuesday. Round-of-16state playoff matches, with the winners going to the 5A statetournament, will be held Saturday, Nov. 5.

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South Albany has equaled its past two seasons in wins combined,with a 11-3 record under first-year coach Joyce Stringer.

The Rebels were 5-9 in 2009 and 2010.

"They're playing really well and they're improved," saidStringer, whose team has won four straight matches and lost justtwo sets in that stretch.

Stringer says her team is working a lot on defense in practiceand continuing to focus on communication.

Early in the season, Stringer said her team was learning how towin matches.

"They've come a long ways in that," she said.

South is the only team to win a set in conference play againstWest Albany and has won all three of its Mid-Willamette matchesthat have gone the maximum five sets, against Dallas, Lebanon andCrescent Valley.

Stringer said her team's mental toughness has come a long waysince the beginning of the season.

The coach recalls last week's match at Dallas. The Rebelstrailed late in a set but came back as South eventually earned thesweep.

"They don't give up and I don't let them give up," Stringersaid.

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Lebanon has had an up-and-down season, sweeping five leaguematches but also losing four matches in three sets.

Coach Adam Ellis says his only worry heading into the postseasonis whether his team shows up to play.

If it does, "it's going to be a great run. It's going to befun."

The Warriors will have to make that run without sophomoreoutside hitter Amanda Short, who broke her ankle in practiceWednesday.

Ellis says Short received about 75 attempts per match and is oneof the Mid-Willamette's highest leapers.

"It's just losing that power on the court. Thankfully we havephenomenal ball control, so now we'll be able to get creative withour offense," he said.

Ellis said senior outside hitter Kenzi Benedict and juniorsetter Kenzee Frazier have emerged as leaders.

Ellis says Benedict can expect more sets, and freshman setterMaddy Kelly and outside hitter/defensive specialist Libbie Hoenewill take on bigger roles with Short out.