MOSES LAKE – The Moses Lake Mavericks (9-8) volleyball season came to a close Tuesday evening after falling 0-3 to Eisenhower in the Big 9 district play-in round. The Mavs played in a tight three-set match but fell short at the end of each. 

“We tried to dig deep because we really wanted it, but it just didn’t end up happening for us,” said Moses Lake senior Lilliana Roylance.  

The game started off very close for the two teams, with the score ending 21-25 in favor of Eisenhower. This continued into the second set as Eisenhower maintained a strong lead and the Mavs were unable to mount a comeback to end the second set 19-25. 

In the third set, the Mavs found momentum to take an early lead over Eisenhower and were up by six points mid-set. Eisenhower found the momentum needed to close the gap between the two teams and eventually took the set 23-25, ending the Mavericks' season at home. 

“I think we all competed the best we could,” said Roylance. 

Mavs head coach Krystal Trammell said the errors made by the team during this game were a problem the Mavs had all season and it’s what ultimately brought an end to their season. While the Mavs struggled to get their offense going throughout the game with service errors and errors on passing, the team stayed in the game defensively with an unstoppable blocking front. 

“We needed to execute and we just didn’t do that,” she said. 

This season had plenty of highlights for the Mavericks that they can be proud of such as Kardyn Martinez making school history with 500 career kills and going on the road to beat West Valley on their home court for the first time, said Trammell. The team’s high energy and the way they went all out in every game was also something she said was a great attribute she saw all season. 

Trammell said she has been especially proud of the work that the seniors on the Mavs have put into their careers. She started as head coach when this group of seniors was freshmen, and over the years, she has seen them put in the work and growth needed to be successful. 

“For those who go on to play, they’re going to take that with them,” she said. “And like I told them at the end, ‘This loss doesn’t define who you are as a young lady or as a student or an athlete. It’s just a moment in time, and if you can take what we did in the program for the last four years and use that in life or with (another team), then we did our job.” 

The seniors’ dynamic play and experience with the game were great assets to the team this year. Trammell said the seniors’ efforts from this season will inspire the younger players on the team as they develop as both players and young adults. 

She said the younger players on the squad returning next season are going to be ready to pick back up where this year’s seniors left off and are going to continue pushing the program into the future. 

“It’s just bringing in a new squad and just everything about them, the personalities, how they handle things, that’s going to be different. It’s going to be great,” said Trammell. “I’m excited to see next year’s (team), every year it’s kind of neat to see the team energy and what the team produces.” 

Roylance said the greatest strength from the Mavs this season was their team bond that was built between each of the players as they all got along well both on and off the court. Her favorite memories on the team are from the time she got to spend with her teammates, who she sees as her best friends. 

“We have a strong family bond and that definitely made us play for each other and pushed us to do the best we could every match,” she said. 

As the seniors move forward from their time with the MLHS volleyball team, Roylance said some of them are finished with their volleyball careers after Tuesday, but others would like to continue with volleyball into the future at the club level. 

“I think all of us are just finding what we want to do right now, not all of us are set on a path as of now, but we’re definitely all pushing to find our own path and find what we want to do for the future,” she said. 

BOX SCORE:

MLHS: 21-19-23: 0
EISN: 25-25-25: 3 

    Madison Witwer from Moses Lake prepares to serve the ball during the second set against Eisenhower on Tuesday. Mavs Head Coach Krystal Trammell said the returning players next season will carry on the successes that this year’s seniors pushed for.
  

    MLHS senior Caitlin Decubber prepares to smack the ball back over to Eisenhower during the third set on Tuesday. Mavs Head Coach Krystal Trammell said this year’s team showed high energy and fought hard in every game until the end.
  

    Addison Burns from the Mavs gets ready to slam the ball on the other side of the net during Tuesday’s matchup.
  

    Mavs Kardyn Martinez (11) rushes over toward her teammate Bella Minor (not pictured) who is setting up an assist for Martinez to go for the kill while Caitlin Decubber (8) cheers on her teammates in the background.
  

    Moses Lake’s Alivia Dehoog prepares to serve the ball during Tuesday’s game against Eisenhower.