Lynden Christian sweeps Mount Baker to secure state playoff spot

Lynden Christian volleyball players will return to the court on Saturday for a winner-to-state match after defeating Mount Baker 3-0 on Thursday night. The victory secures the Lyncs a spot in the District 1-2 crossover tournament, a result that comes after a sweep in the district championship on Tuesday.

The match took place in Laurel, where the Lyncs faced a Mount Baker team that competed hard to extend its season. Head coach Kim Grycel noted that the team used the earlier loss to Meridian as motivation to return to the jerseys and compete well against the Mountaineers.

The Lyncs controlled the first set, pulling ahead to take a 21-16 lead before closing it out with a four-point run to win 25-17. Mount Baker initially held a 9-8 lead, but the Lyncs stretched their advantage throughout the middle of the set to secure the opening point.

Senior libero Lyla Parriera said the team knew they were a good group and wanted to keep moving forward. She described the team's performance on Thursday as a step back up in quality following the disappointing result against Meridian.

The second set saw the Lyncs build an 11-4 lead, though Mount Baker closed the gap to two points at 17-15. Lynden Christian responded by outscoring the Mountaineers eight points to two, winning the set 25-17 and taking a two-set lead.

The third set ended the season for the Mountaineers. Mount Baker led 6-1 before falling behind, but retook the lead at 10-9. The Lyncs pulled ahead at 12-11 and maintained control, with the match ending at 25-20 after a kill by senior middle blocker Jocelyn Eshuis.

Eshuis led the team with 14 kills. Junior outside hitter Tyra Dykstra recorded 13 kills and 13 digs, marking her fourth match back from injury. Coach Grycel noted that Dykstra had not played for a month and is starting to find her groove again. Freshman setter Brielle Berendsen led all players with 19 assists, while Parriera recorded 16 digs and four aces.

Mount Baker head coach Jennifer Galbraith said her team competed well and made Lynden Christian work for every point. The Mountaineers finish the season with a 6-9 record, the program's best since 2021. Five seniors, including Rebeca Soares and Hayden Macdonald, will graduate from the program.