Farrell, T-Wolves display versatility

COEUR d'ALENE - Lake City High senior middle blocker Madi Farrell put down a block for an early point in the first game Thursday.

Talk about setting the tone.

It wasn't really Farrell's defense that made the difference, in the Timberwolves' 5A Inland Empire League opener on Elmer Jordan Court at Coeur d'Alene High against the Vikings.

It was her serving, especially in the second game of a 25-20, 25-22, 25-23 victory for Lake City (3-0, 1-0 5A IEL).

Farrell won five straight points on serve, which gave the Timberwolves a commanding 24-20 second-game lead. She also had three aces, two in the first game, which gave her team a 21-15 lead.

Farrell's all-around game featured nine kills, two blocks and six digs.

"I think it was just forming a rhythm and actually becoming consistent," Farrell said. "That was the biggest thing for this (match). This team works really well together, we're very versatile. We can hit anywhere ... it's all about just forming as one."

What impressed Lake City coach Bret Taylor the most, at least toward the end? Farrell's two digs at the end of the third game, the last of which finished one of the longest rallies of the match.

"If you want to be impressed about Madi, the one thing you look at the end of the game, she had two huge digs," Taylor said. "That's not something people look for in Madi. They always look for the big block and the big hit. But she dug two balls at the end of the game that were very important."

Lake City coach Dee Pottenger said that the result was "... really disappointing."

Taylor respects the crosstown rivalry.

"Coeur d'Alene and Lake City, it's always going to be a battle whenever we play," he said. "That's what the spirit of this competition's all about. Dee and her kids are a great team and it's always fun to play them."

Taylor also enjoyed getting the first league win right off the bat.

"Every match we have is part of our journey and our challenge," Taylor said. "We're always trying to make ourselves just a little bit better with each match that we play. That's our main focus right now is our side of the court, playing at a different level throughout the season."

Outside hitter Natalie Taylor gave her team the lead for good in the crucial second game at 21-20, with a kill from her perch on the left side of Lake City's attack.

Farrell followed that with an ace, the Vikings (4-2, 0-2) could not return a ball after it hit the ceiling, then Timberwolves middle blocker Haile Watson hammered home another kill. Watson had three kills.

Taylor had a match-high 13 kills. Clarissa Smith and Kasey Widmyer both had four digs.

"I thought that it (the offense) was pretty big," Natalie Taylor said. "I thought we all played for each other and knew that if we really wanted it, that we were going to go hard and not swing safe."

The balanced Coeur d'Alene attack was led by Sydney Williams, who had 12 kills. She also had five blocks and two aces. Megan Ramseyer had nine kills, 17 assists and nine digs, while Cameron Cardenas had nine assists. Libero Darby Lyon had nine digs.

The Vikings had a few too many hitting errors, especially in the first game.

"We used our main quote, 'relentless pursuit' and we fought back," Williams said. "We'll get them the next time we play them. We had unforced errors, giving them points. Then we had some awesome kills and blocks that got our momentum back."

Coeur d'Alene and Lake City both play Saturday at the Lakeland Invitational.