Moose win NLC volleyball title

PALMER — As the lone undefeated team in the double-elimination bracket, the Palmer Moose had a bit of an advantage heading into their title match against Kodiak. If things didn’t go well in the championship against the Bears, a team with one loss in the tourney, there was always the “if necessary” bout, a match used to break potential ties.

But the Moose knew there was little room for error, and they didn’t want to wait around for the “if” game.

Sparked by an early run in the final set, Palmer scored a 3-2 (18-25, 25-20, 25-23, 23-25,15-10) over Kodiak during the title match of the Northern Lights Conference Championships volleyball tournament at Palmer High School.

“We definitely knew the ‘if’ game was there, but we only at the last resort we wanted to use that,” Palmer senior Leiah Reichel said after the win. “We wanted to go strong (in the first match).”

Palmer rebounded from rough games during the first and fourth sets to win its first NLC title since 2011. The victory also snapped Palmer’s two-year streak as the conference runner-up.

The title match marked the fourth time the Moose had seen the Bears in a week. Last weekend, Palmer capped its regular season by splitting a pair of matches in Kodiak. The NLC rivals met again in the NLC semifinals Friday night. Palmer won that match 3-1.

“I enjoy playing them. It’s a challenge,” Palmer libero Carly Venzke said. “They give us a lot that different things that other teams don’t.”

After dropping the first set of the match, Palmer won the second and third sets to take a lead. In the fourth game, Kodiak used a six-point run to jump to a 9-3 advantage. Palmer would rally later in the set, to make it close. But Kodiak was able to force the fifth game. Venzke said the Moose knew what they had to do once they hit the court for the decisive Game 5.

“We knew we had to come out strong, push through and get a lead,” Venzke said. “The more they get ahead, the more they get energy and the harder it is for us to come back.”

With a pair of Reichel kills and an Ellen Groseclose service ace, Palmer jumped to a quick 4-0 lead in the fifth set.

“It took some pressure off knowing we were ahead, but we couldn’t lay back,” Reichel said of the Game 5 lead. “We had to keep moving forward.”

After Kodiak cut the Palmer advantage to a pair of points, Palmer used another four-point run to take a 10-4 lead. That stretch included a Naomi Graham ace. Playing Kodiak as much as the Moose have lately, Reichel said the Moose always know Kodiak has the potential to rally.

“If we’re ahead, we know they can always come back,” Reichel said.

Senior Mariah McNamara helped close the game for Palmer, grabbing three of her 20 kills during the final stretch of the contest.

McNamara, named Co-NLC Player of the Year alongside Colony senior Mack Everett following the match, collected 20 kills and 19 digs in the match. Reichel finished with a team-high 21 kills. Venzke led the Moose with 24 digs. Graham finished with a team-best 26 assists.

Palmer head coach Steve Reynolds said Allie McPheters (17 assists, nine digs and four aces) played a big role in the Moose victory.

“After that first game where things didn’t go well for us, you could tell she really wanted it. She was working hard,” Reynolds said of McPheters. “I think she was key tonight, as was Carly. Allie brought something tonight we needed. (She was) laying out for the ball. It doesn’t necessarily show up on the score sheet, but the team feeds off it. The same is true for Carly Venzke. When she performs well, they feed off that. She was key to our success, being calm, digging balls, being Carly Venzke.”

Palmer, Kodiak and Colony earned the NLC’s three state tournament berths. The 4A tournament starts Thursday at UAA.

All-Northern Lights Conference

Co-Player of the Year: Mariah McNamara, Palmer; Mack Everett, Colony.

Co-Coach of the Year: Steve Reynolds, Palmer; Amy Willis, Kodiak.

First team:

Mack Everett, Colony; Mariah McNamara, Palmer; Isabelle Riina, Kodiak; Hayley Ramsell, Soldotna; Peyton Mobley, Wasilla; Kalameli Matautia, Kodiak; Amber Sizemore, Wasilla; Leiah Reichel, Palmer; Sophie Hall, Colony; Kianna Hardign, Kenai.

Second team:

Abby Beck, Kenai; Ashley Turcotte, Colony; Alex Ashe, Soldotna; Richelle Walker, Kodiak; Morgan Johnson, Colony; Skyler Shaw, Soldotna; Carly Venzke, Palmer.