2A Prep Volleyball: R.A. Long utilizes big swings to eliminate Bearcats (UPDATED)

Do-or-Die — Lumberjills sweep W.F. West in District pigtail contest

R.A. Long’s Eve Huhta (red) and teammate Jillian Woodruff come together to celebrate a point during a match earlier this season. On Tuesday, Nov. 5, the Lumberjills swept W.F. West in a District pigtail game at The Lumberdome. — Skyler Smith / Framed Photography

Jordan Nailon / blastzonenews@gmail.com

There’s an old adage in volleyball lore that goes something like this — swing hard and be happy.

It was R.A. Long who laughed first, last, and most frequently in between on the way to a three-set win over W.F. West, Tuesday, in their pigtail playoff match to open the 2A District IV Volleyball Tournament. Deploying that approach the Lumberjills locked down wins of 25-17, 25-7 and 25-18 to secure the sweep on Joe Moses Court at The Lumberdome.

The victory sent the Jills to the double elimination portion of the district tournament bracket. The loss for W.F. West brought its season to an end in Longview.

The opening stanza started out in an offsetting fashion as both teams worked cautiously to feel each other out. But after knotting the score up at 13-13 the Bearcats were unable to sustain the momentum in the face of a confident R.A. Long attack.

Ariana Wheaton led the Bearcats with five kills, 10 dig and one ace.

“The start of the first set our defense was moving and playing the ball and communicating. They were doing all the right things,” W.F. West coach Tiffany Alvarado said before loading up the bus for the final trip of the season. “They got a little in their heads after we got a few hard hits at us and struggled to cover that.”