PREP VOLLEYBALL: Timberlake comeback falls short in first match of district title series

BONNERS FERRY — Second-seeded Timberlake nearly pulled off the reverse sweep, but the top-seeded Bonners Ferry Badgers recovered in the fifth set to beat the Tigers 25-23, 25-17, 18-25, 21-25, 15-9 in the first match of a best-of-3 series for the 4A District 1 title Monday night. 

Match 2 is Wednesday at 6:30 p.m. at Bonners Ferry. Match 3, if necessary, would be Thursday at 6:30 p.m. at Bonners.

Junior Amarijana Olivieri had 12 kills and 15 digs for Timberlake (11-10). Addie Archer had eight kills, five aces and 10 digs, Diana Nelson six kills and eight blocks, Sophia Soumas 16 assists and seven digs, Mya Reynoldson four blocks and three aces, Kaydence Edwards 10 assists. 

Archer, a freshman, rolled her ankle jump-serving in the fifth set. She stayed in and served an ace on her next serve, then missed her next serve and was taken out because her ankle was swelling up. She sat the rest of the match. 

“We fought hard after a slow start and found our rhythm in sets three and four,” first-year Timberlake coach Lisa Gardom said. “At the end of the night, it didn’t go our way, but I’m proud of the girls for never giving up.” 

Bonners Ferry (12-8) beat Timberlake in four sets in both Intermountain League matches to earn the top seed to districts.