By Gerardo Bolong
Seattle Christian overcame mistakes in a 3-1 Nisqually 1A League volleyball victory against visiting Cascade Christian in SeaTac on Mon., Oct. 8 to remain in third place.
SC holds third place with a 3-2 record and 5-4 overall record. Cascade fell to 1-4 and 4-5, respectively. 
Charles Wright (4-0) and Bellevue Christian (3-1) top the standings.
“We had blocks and worked the middle well for a few sets,” said Warrior head coach David Traynor. “It’s hard to play to a higher level against teams that are missing players or not at high levels of play (like the third set).”
First set action began with Cascade unable to handle serves from Alexandra Hochhalter as the Warriors led 6-0.
Play became more equalized in a mistake prone set, but SC gradually pulled away for a lead of nine points three times before extending the margin to 22-11 en route to a 25-14 win.
In the second set, the teams played evenly to five ties, the last at 10-10.
Serving over the net was problematical, but Kyra Godspeed played well in the front line to give Seattle Christian some breathing room at 13-10.
CCHS stayed within a 3-4 point deficit, the last at 17-14.
After gaining side out to lead 18-14, SC started another points barrage, this time on Rachel Samson’s serves. 
Lefty Jessalyn Traynor’s tip at net preceded a Cougar mistake at net to increase the margin to 24-14 before a Hochhalter cross court winner closed out the set.
Cascade Christian jumped all over Seattle Christian mistakes in the third set.
Deadlocked at 10-all, the Cougars started pulling away.
Leads of 16-11 and 19-13 led to a 25-19 set victory.
Goodspeed and the rest of the SC front line, including middle blockers and attackers, joined their servers to pull away from a 4-2 deficit to dominate at 18-5 and 23-7 on the way to a 25-10 win to close out the set and Warrior team win.
“It’s always good to because there’s more stuff to learn,” said Goodspeed. “I’m growing with the team.”
After a winless last season, Seattle Christian is steadily building with young players. The team sends seven juniors, one sophomore, and one junior into play.
“It’s a good lineup with players coming into their own,” concluded a pleased coach Traynor, who is ably assisted by coach Kara Kogle. “We’re solidly in third place and winning the games we’re supposed to so we can reach the playoffs. It’s fun to watch them grow. This team has even won five-set non league games. We couldn’t do that last year.”
Juniors Goodspeed and Hochhalter plus sophomore Traynor are among the breakout players coach Traynor cited.