By Tim Clinton

SPORTS EDITOR

Curtis got in the Kennedy Catholic girls volleyball

team's way once again Saturday,  only this time it was in the Class 4A state championship.

This  Lancers lost, 3-0, to the Vikings of University Place in the Tacoma area in the final, after also taking a 3-0 loss to them in the District 3/4 championship match one week earlier.

Kennedy Catholic came up short by 25-17, 25-20, 25-21 margins in the state championship.

Curtis entered the tournament that took place at the Yakima Valley Sun Dome as the No. 1 state seed and the Lancers came in ranked No. 3.

The Vikings finished with a 27-0 season record and Kennedy Catholic wound up 25-3.

The Lancers had to come from behind twice in winning their first three matches at state to reach the championship rematch against Curtis.

They took a 17-25 loss in their first game Friday morning against Mead of Spokane, but rallied to take the next three, 25-19, 25-20, 25-20, to win the match, 3-1.

Mead entered as the No. 14 state seed, with Kennedy Catholic going on to face the No. 6 Puyallup Vikings later Friday in a quarterfinal.

The Lancers swept that match in three games, 25-10, 25-22, 25-18.

Next up for Kennedy Catholic was No. 2 Wenatchee in an early Saturday semifinal, with the Lancers coming back for another 3-1 win.

They lost the first game, 29-31, but took the next three, 25-18, 25-23, 25-23.

Kennedy Catholic captured the North Puget Sound League Class 4A division title this year with Mount Rainier taking second.

Curtis was a 3-2 winner over Lake Stevens in its state semifinal and Lake Stevens went on to lose to Wenatchee, 3-0, in the match for third and fourth.

Curtis was the South Puget Sound League champion.