This year’s La Conner High School volleyball team, with its several underclassmen – including eighth graders – playing key roles, has taken a different route to reach a familiar destination this fall.

That being the Northwest 2B Bi-District Tournament.

The Lady Braves tuned up for a postseason run with an impressive 3-1 victory at Mount Vernon High Thursday. Monday they were paired against Auburn Adventist in a first-round bi-district clash at Landy James Gym.

On the opposite side of Monday’s bi-district bracket, NW2B/1B rival Coupeville faced Northwest Christian in Lacey.

All four teams will be at Landy James Gym today (Nov. 1) for the second half of the double elimination bi-district tourney. Two state tournament berths will be decided. Play begins at 3:30 p.m.

The Lady Braves finished the regular season with an 11-7 mark and 7-1 conference ledger. The team has won nine of its past 12 matches.

Recent non-conference victories over 3A programs Mount Vernon and Marysville-Getchell could bode well for the playoffs, an indication that the Lady Braves are peaking at the right time.

La Conner has captured top honors at the past four state tournaments dating to 2018 – there was no post-season competition in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Lady Braves, under first-year head coach Pam Keller, are paced by seniors Morgan Huizenga and Abi Udlock, with several younger teammates providing key support.

Huizenga recorded a team-high 258 kills (4.3 kills per set) going into this week’s bi-district format. Sophomore Maeve McCormick had delivered 60 kills for La Conner, an average of about one per set. Her stat line also included 384 digs and 23 service aces.

Udlock led the Lady Braves in assists (395), aces (35) and blocks (31). She had totaled 318 digs as well.

Sophomore Addison Keller contributed 26 assists and 27 aces while leading La Conner with 509 digs.

Huizenga (443), eighth grader Reese Bird (307), junior Addie Wigal (213) and Nora McCormick (106) have all reached triple digits in digs on the campaign.

Eighth graders Abi Poulton and Nora McCormick had chipped in 19 and 16 blocks, respectively, prior to Monday’s meeting with Auburn Adventist.

As a team, La Conner entered the matchup with Auburn boasting a 92 per cent service rate.

The winners of Monday’s opening round bi-district matches square off here today at 5:15 p.m. for a spot in the state tournament. That follows a 3:30 p.m. elimination contest between the first-round losers.

The survivor of the loser-out match will play the loser of the 5:15 p.m. winner’s bracket clash at 7 p.m. to determine who will advance as the bi-district’s second state qualifier.