Mount Si’s volleyball team has had a stellar start to their 2010 season, solidifying their case as a potential contender for the 3A state title.

The Wildcats last Wednesday, Sept. 15, showed fans why they are in the hunt for the crown with a solid win over Lake Washington. WSU-bound senior Zoe Gogan led the way with 10 kills and six digs as Mount Si rolled to a 25-12, 25-16, 25-12 three-set sweep. Gogan was pleased. “I felt like we played really well. It really showed our level of focus,” she said. Wildcat coach Bonnie Foote felt the team did well in all facets of the game. “We served the ball tough, we passed well, we hit well, we played great defense and it’s nice to go out and even when you’re opponent is not as strong, it’s nice to actually to just take care of it,” Foote said.

After a brief slow start, the Wildcats proceeded to go on a 11-1 run to take control of the opening frame. A Gogan kill sealed the first set in Mount Si’s favor.

Lake Washington battled in the second set, and kept things interesting for a while, but service aces by junior Sarah McDonald and senior Baylee Sinner and kills from Gogan and CWU-bound senior newcomer Catie Fry were key in helping the Wildcats take control of the middle frame. McDonald set up the finish with an ace, then Gogan wrapped it up with a kill to give Mount Si control of the match.

The third and final set was similar in its start to the second set, as the Kangs tried to keep things interesting, with solid play from several players. The Wildcats, however, as the set progressed were able to steadily take command, and they pulled away late behind a couple of kills from senior Amanda Gates. A Gates block slammed the door shut on the match and Mount Si had moved to 3-0 in conference after beating Liberty and Sammamish prior to last Wednesday’s match. The Wildcats swept Liberty September 9 behind six kills and nine digs from senior Aubrey Larion, and did the same to the Totems last Monday, September 13 behind nine assists and two aces from sophomore Lauren Smith.

Embedded in all of that Kingco success was a strong showing against top teams mostly from eastern Washington at a tournament September 11 in Yakima. Mount Si, seen as a possible tournament favorite, did very well despite being eliminated in the semifinals to eventual champ West Valley of Yakima. “We played really well. We were awesome,” Foote said, and something that excites her is something that should excite Wildcat fans about what may lie ahead. “We’re producing numbers right now that we produced at the end of the season last year,” the coach said, and that could mean good things ahead for a Mount Si team that is currently ranked very high in 3A in the Seattle Times poll.

Said Gogan, “We’re hoping for a good season. We want to go all the way.”