Last week’s victories over Interlake and Juanita were key for the Wildcats volleyball team as they prepared for the playoffs.

Mount Si set themselves up for their midweek showdown with the Juanita Rebels by taking care of Interlake last Monday, Oct. 20, in a three-game sweep, 25-21, 25-17 and 25-14. Robyn Schirmer led the way with 25 assists, six digs and two blocks. Miranda Pratt had eight kills, three aces and 10 digs, while Aubrey Larion had six kills, four aces and eight digs.

Last Wednesday, Oct. 22, was a special night for the Wildcats, as they welcomed in Juanita. Mount Si got a chance to honor their seniors, then after a slow start, went out and proved to the Rebels who really deserves the second place slot in the league, with a convincing 19-25, 25-10, 25-15, 25-10 victory that put Mount Si and Juanita on a collision course for an Election Night showdown Nov. 4 to decide the second seed to the Kingco Tournament, and an automatic berth to the SeaKing District Tournament.

Prior to the contest, senior players Pratt, Mackenzie Peerboom, Cortney Tubbs, Bethany Frieler, Fernanda Lizola (who plays for the “C” team), and student manager Emilee Ruhland were honored for their efforts in the Wildcat program. They all received flowers and teddy bears. The team also paid tribute to Tess Solitto, a former Wildcat player who was killed in a swimming accident in the Snoqualmie River near North Bend in 2006.

The emotion of that ceremony was likely one of many factors that contributed to a slow start in game one, which Juanita dominated from opening serve. Jazzmin Garcia and Annie Brandon helped lead the way for the Rebels, who finished off the opening frame with a Garcia kill.

“It really wasn’t what they were doing to us, it was what we were doing to ourselves,” said Wildcats coach Bonnie Foote.

Mount Si fought back very strongly late in the first game, and that paid dividends for them the rest of the match. Peerboom and Pratt piloted the Wildcats as they opened a big 13-2 lead in the second frame, and never looked back. A Schirmer kill sealed up game two, tying the match.

Pratt, Larion and Zoe Gogan all had big kills in the third stanza, and Mount Si once again opened up a big lead. Tubbs added a kill down the stretch, and a pair of Amanda Beekman aces helped close things out in game three. JV callups Beekman, Erika Clark and Anna Moetului all had solid efforts in the contest, especially on serve; all had aces in that department, huge for a team that may be looking for some depth in the playoffs.

Larion and Gogan did most of the work for the Wildcats in the fourth frame, and got a few kills from Pratt as well. Schirmer locked it up on match point with a kill, and Mount Si was on the road to the showdown for the second seed.

Pratt finished with 16 kills, 13 digs and a block; Larion had three kills, three aces, eight digs and two blocks, and Schirmer added 32 assists and five digs in addition to three kills.

Foote praised her senior class.

“They are a great group,” she said. “This is one of the finest group of girls that I’ve coached since I’ve been here, and I’ve had some pretty amazing groups of girls.”

Frieler will remember her time with the team.

“It’s been absoultely amazing,” she said. “It’s been really fun. I feel like we’ve formed a family and I’ve learned a lot from the girls.”

“They’ve been really inspiring to me and I’ve looked up to them,” added Clark.

Being a student manager involves a lot of responsibility for such things as helping set up for matches and helping at practices. Ruhland has been doing this for four years, and has grown into a very important asset on the bench. had big kills in the third stanza, and Mount Si once again opened up a big lead. Tubbs added a kill down the stretch, and a pair of Amanda Beekman aces helped close things out in game three. JV callups Beekman, Erika Clark and Anna Moetului all had solid efforts in the contest, especially on serve; all had aces in that department, huge for a team that may be looking for some depth in the playoffs.

Larion and Gogan did most of the work for the Wildcats in the fourth frame, and got a few kills from Pratt as well. Schirmer locked it up on match point with a kill, and Mount Si was on the road to the showdown for the second seed.

Pratt finished with 16 kills, 13 digs and a block; Larion had three kills, three aces, eight digs and two blocks, and Schirmer added 32 assists and five digs in addition to three kills.

Foote praised her senior class.

“I’m just going to miss them,” she said. “They are a great group. This is one of the finest group of girls that I’ve coached since I’ve been here, and I’ve had some pretty amazing groups of girls.”

Frieler will remember her time with the team.

“It’s been absoultely amazing,” she said. “It’s been really fun. I feel like we’ve formed a family and I’ve learned a lot from the girls.”

“They’ve been really inspiring to me and I’ve looked up to them,” added Clark.

Being a student manager involves a lot of responsibility for such things as helping set up for matches and helping at practices. Ruhland has been doing this for four years, and has grown into a very important asset on the bench. She has this message for the person who will replace her in that role next season.

“I’d really like them to get involved with it,” she said.