By Gerardo Bolong
CONTRIBUTING WRITER

Highline showed some good energy before John F. Kennedy Catholic began to puncture holes in the Pirate defense in a 3-0 Seamount League volleyball win at the Highline home court on Thursday.

Set one action featured the Pirates taking a 3-0 lead on Lancer mistakes, but Kennedy charged back for six consecutive points as the teams squared off on equal terms until KC held only a 10-9 margin. Apryll Eneliko smashed home a kill to put the Lancers ahead 12-9 just ahead of a Kennedy Catholic onslaught that would cement a first set victory.

Leading only 12-10 after gaining side out, the state sixth-ranked Class 3A Lancers began front court and serving domination with Eneliko's service ace just inside the end line. Behind Eneliko's serve KC completed an 8-0 points spree to lead 20-10, finishing with a 25-14 win.
Kennedy Catholic opened the second set with five consecutive points that Highline countered with its own five-point rally.

By returning serve much better, the Pirates joined the Lancers in back and forth rallies to stay close. Samantha Faletogo's kill had Highline within 15-12 ahead of a Lancer scoring spree with Molly Ballanger jump serving. Nine consecutive points nailed down a 24-12 Kennedy lead that culminated in a 25-14 set triumph.

Jumping ahead 5-2 in the third set, Kennedy Catholic gained side out on an Eneliko kill. Eneliko jump served the Lancers into 12 more points in a row with some help from Delaney Cox and the rest of the hitters for a 19-2 control that eventually turned into a 23-3 match ending set win.
"I really loved games one and two," said HHS head coach Mary Legate.

"The girls were receiving well and digging. Then, they had problems picking up the jump serves and may have lost some of the fight in the third set. It was a good match and fun against a good team."

Blessing Faletogo felt better about her team's play at the last part of the week.

"We're playing like a team better," she said.

The Lancers were young last season while battling to finish eighth at Class 3A state and certainly look to further their run this season behind new head coach Liz Quitiquit, who has stepped in after coaching seven seasons at Kentridge.

"We're really excited to bond together with our new coaching staff," said returning outside hitting junior Eneliko, who served 11 aces to go along nine kills. "We're really motivated to go all the way and we're 110 percent good."

The team is still young with only three seniors and five-foot, three-inch junior Molly Ballanger feels great about being a defensive setter with many weapons to feed.

"I feel good about playing with so many great talented players and being a part of what's happening," she said. "I have great faith in my teammates.

Also excited is coach Quitiquit, who has a strong supporting cast to match up with outside hitting junior Shayne McPherson, a University of Washington commit for the indoor and sand teams. McPherson is a huge impact player who hits with power pace and finesse along with all court coverage. For this match, McPherson was sitting out as a precaution for a minor injury.

"I'm excited," coach Quitiquit said. " It's a really good group. They've played pretty well. Different people have been stepping up each time. Molly is good at keeping up the energy and I'm pleased with how we finished. It's a young team and we have two sophomores that are becoming part of it, as well. We're working on finding our (regular) starting line up."