Camas volleyball stays in groove

Each set was close between the Camas and Skyview volleyball teams, but the Papermakers didn’t let a single game get away from them in a 25-21, 25-18, 25-23 victory over the Storm Sept. 28, at Camas High School.

“It was a little bit of a roller coaster, but we managed to pull through,” said right side hitter Whitney Quist.

“Since it was our first league game, we were all like, ‘OK, we really got to get this,'” said senior libero Maddy Pfaff. “We had this mindset of winning and really focusing on playing for each other; not being individuals. I think we did a really good job of showing that on the court.”

Skyview took advantage of six Camas service errors in the first set to take the lead, but the Papermakers rallied back and took command of the game down the stretch. Keelie LeBlanc earned three kills in a row to help Camas clinch the set.

“We’re making the errors. We’re giving them points. They’re not earning the points,” said head coach Michelle Allen. “That’s something we’re trying to work on, but I’m proud of them. They improved.”

The Papermakers led by as many as six points in the second set. Junior blocker Mary Pipkin scored some big points in the middle.

“I’m very proud of Mary,” Allen said. “She blocked like I asked her to, and then she found the court offensively. She changed the momentum when we needed it.”

Emma Villaluz, a 5-foot, 3-inch sophomore, had a block and a kill at the net.

“I told her, ‘You don’t have to kill the ball. Just have control and fight on the court,” Allen said.

Camas wrapped up the second set on a block by Marianna Payne, and then a kill by LeBlanc. Back-to-back kills Quist set up match point for the Papermakers in the third set. The Storm cut the lead to 24-23, before Stanton tipped in the winner for Camas.

“I just felt like they weren’t expecting it, and they were kind of on their heels,” Stanton said. “I just saw an opening and went for it.”

Stanton finished the match with 23 assists and six digs. Madison Gilchrist added 14 assists and four digs. LeBlanc collected 15 kills and 12 digs. Quist earned eight kills, Payne notched six and Pipkin finished with four.

Pfaff and Villaluz were diving and digging the ball up for the Papermakers. Pfaff had 21 digs and three aces, and Villaluz added 10 digs.

“Every single point, I don’t want the ball to drop. I tell myself, I got to go for it,” Pfaff said. “And then we go for it and we get it up … ‘OK, we’re going to get this awesome kill.’ It’s just one of those exciting moments when you know you did something good for the team.”

Camas defeated Union 23-25, 25-10, 25-22, 25-21 Tuesday, at home. Several Papermakers stepped up on Digs For Pink Night. LeBlanc racked up 18 kills, 15 digs and three aces. Stanton added 37 assists, 18 digs and six kills. Pfaff finished with 41 digs and three aces. Quist delivered 12 kills and two blocks. Villaluz had 21 digs and nine kills. Gilchrist gathered 18 digs and 15 assists. Payne chipped with in seven kills and two blocks.

“We need to keep our energy up and consistently show that we can do this. We can win and we can push points and we can do everything as a team,” Pfaff said. “If we can keep staying together and not separating, if we just do everything as one, we’re going to keep going and we’re going to keep winning.”