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NEWPORT — In a five-set season opener, the Newport High School volleyball team won 3-2 against Reardan Tuesday, Sept. 8 at home.
“Reardan is a strong team and definitely made us work for every point,” coach Kathy Eggleston says.
The Grizzlies (1-0, 1-0) started off with a lot of excitement and nerves, Eggleston says, working through and dialing in for the first set. Despite fighting hard early game, Newport couldn’t take the first or second sets, dropping them 24-26 and 19-25.
With two straight sets won, Reardan (0-2, 0-3) only needed a third to claim victory and return home. But Newport went into the third set determined not to let the night end so soon, and every Grizzly contributed to earn the win 25-22, Eggleston says. The fourth set, the Grizzlies used that momentum to win 25-18.
“The fifth set, Reardan really fought hard,” Eggleston says.
For every kill Newport earned, Eggleston says the Grizzlies put up four or five attempts. All that hustle and effort led them to win the fifth and final set 15-13.
Dominating the net was Grace Parry with 12 kills and nine blocks, Eggleston says. Kenna Arthur kept the team going with 28 assists, 12 digs, four blocks and two kills, while Cooper Reed demonstrated her strength in serves by adding three aces. Also valuable to defense was Grace Keck, with 17 digs and two aces. Marri Hinchliff relentlessly returned attacks to Reardan, resulting in eight kills, two blocks and an assist, in addition to 11 digs and two aces.
Bella Boyd added 10 digs, two kills, two blocks and one ace; Lilli Hall 13 digs and one assist; Abby Martin eight digs; and Lily Jenkins nine digs, four kills and four blocks.
“There was a lot of hustle and effort,” Eggleston says.
The Grizzlies next played in an allday tournament Saturday, Sept. 12 at Freeman, Eggleston says, working through games and ending with two wins.
“It was a lot of playing time seeing options we have for the season,” Eggleston says.
Newport next visited Northwest Christian in Colbert Tuesday, Sept. 15 after The Miner’s weekly deadline. They visit Lind-Ritzville at 6:45 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 17, before hosting Davenport at 6:45 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 22 and visiting Riverside at 6:30 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 23.
