Facing their toughest challenge of the season, the Linn-Benton volleyball team proved too much for their opposition to handle once again.
The Roadrunners hosted the NWAC South Regional in Albany this past weekend, winning in straight sets against Wenatchee Valley and Edmonds to earn a spot in the NWAC Volleyball Championship Elite Eight.
Against Wenatchee Valley, Linn-Benton fought through a tight first set before dominating in sets two and three. The Roadrunners conceded only 19 points through their final two sets, a trademark defensive performance for the team that has dropped just three sets all year. NWAC South MVP Brooklyn Willard led the team with 18 kills, while Avery Hughes had a team-best 23 assists.
“We came out strong and we came out knowing that we had to just fight and get gritty all the way through,” said Hughes following the win over Wenatchee Valley.
Throughout the season, Hughes has established herself as a presence on the court with her impressive passing ability. Hughes currently has 512 assists on the season, second most on the team behind fellow setter Meah Carley. Hughes also eclipsed 1,000 career assists for Linn-Benton following the team’s match against Southwestern Oregon on Nov. 1.
Even with such an impressive season, Hughes and the rest of the team remain focused on the games that are still potentially ahead.
“We’re excited,” said Hughes, “we know we’re going to have to fight, be resillient, and just be ready for whatever.”
The win against Wenatchee Valley set Linn-Benton up with a matchup against Edmonds the following day. With a spot in the Elite Eight up for grabs, both teams came out firing with the score tied 18-18 deep into the first set. Linn-Benton then went on a 7-1 run to clinch the first set before taking sets two and three in commanding fashion.
Maddy Hellem recorded a team-best 9 kills, with setter Amy Pappas closely behind with 8 of her own. On the defensive front, middle blocker Annabelle Peterson shut things down at the net with 6 blocks.
The wins gave Linn-Benton a well-deserved spot in the Elite Eight and secured the team the South Region’s top spot in the tournament. During the team’s last three seasons, the Roadrunners have followed up their South Regional success by winning the NWAC Championship.
If the Roadrunners are to win their fourth consecutive title, they’ll have to do it away from home, with the Elite Eight being held at Pierce College in Puyallup, WA. Despite having played their last home game of the season at the South Regional, players were still grateful they had gotten the chance to play extra games on the home court.
“It’s incredible,” said hitter Grace Luttrell, “last year we also got to host regionals and it’s just really cool because it’s such a privilege.”
Last year, Luttrell was a member of the Linn-Benton volleyball squad that went undefeated en route to winning the program’s third straight NWAC Championship. Now in her second season with the Roadrunners, Luttrell hopes to finish her Linn-Benton career with back-to-back undefeated championship seasons.
During the season, Luttrell has been a major part of the team’s success, recording 211 kills while being named to the NWAC South All-Region First Team alongside teammates Kinsey Brelage and Brooklyn Willard. Despite the accolades and recognition, Luttrell remains humble and credits her success to her teammates.
“I’m super grateful. I wouldn’t be able to do it without my team; it takes all of us,” said Luttrell
The Roadrunners now sit with a 32-0 overall record and walk into the Elite Eight on a staggering 87-match winning streak. For their next match, Linn-Benton will take on Bellevue on Nov. 22 at 11 a.m. with a spot in the NWAC Semi-Finals on the line.
