BLHS VOLLEYBALL: Two losses, two wins at Saturday's subdistrict tournament

The walking-wounded Bonney Lake Panthers split four matches at Saturday's subdistrict volleyball tournament.

The tourney began with a 25-19, 25-16, 25-15 loss to Peninsula High and the Panthers were thrust into the loser's bracket.

Bonney Lake then beat Decatur 25-23, 22-25, 25-17 and 25-23 before squaring off against Enumclaw, which won with a fifth dramatic set victory. In its final match of the day, to decide seeding for this weekend's district tournament, BLHS earned the fourth seed by crushing Hazen High.

Panther junior setter Ashtyn Bagby and senior defensive specialist Alexi Hill can barely navigate around, much less play, and longtime coach Shirley Baker said neither of these stations has been easy to fill.

"We aren't certain what is wrong with Bagby, but she will be getting an MRI done this week. Right now she can barely walk and she hasn't played since mid-October…same with Hill who has a torn meniscus," Baker said.

Even the girls who are playing are doing so hurt. Senior hitter Danielle Norton was originally believed to have sustained an MCL tear, but is playing through the pain of patellar tendonitis.

"We haven't had the full compliment of 12 girls at the varsity practices for about a month now," Baker said. "But the girls have been seeing our physical therapist Rachel Ferguson and they are doing a little better. Just about the only healthy girls we are suiting up right now are senior Nicole Rack and sophomore Kylie Acuna, who we brought up from the junior varsity ranks."

Due to the rash of injuries, Bonney Lake slipped to second place between Auburn Mountainview and Enumclaw with a 8-2 mark in league play.

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