LWK Tigercats volleyball program, season ends at Districts

The LaCrosse-Washtucna/Kahlotus Lady Tigercats not only ended their season on Saturday, but also participated in the last athletic event for the cooperative.

The final District Tournament match had an emotional ended for the athletes, coaches and families involved with the LWK program, as they said goodbye to their blue jerseys and the end of the Tigercats legacy.

The Lady Tigercats traveled to Walla Walla Community College to compete in Districts as the No. 5 seed, facing the No. 6 seed, Garfield-Palouse.

The LWK team needed a win in order to continue in the District Tournament and for the opportunity to compete at state, but lost the opening match to the Lady Vikings: 25-19, 13-25, 21-25, 25-13, 13-15.

The Lady Tigercats opened the match strong, bringing intensity and strong communication to the court. The team worked as a cohesive unit to rack up points against Gar-Pal in the first set, and thrived off of celebration when they scored.

Head Coach Sandy Martin said the Lady Tigercats played aggressively and together as a team throughout the match. The LWK team had a strong serving performance, only missing four serves in the five-set match.

The team faltered in the second set, losing the drive and momentum they had possessed early in the game. As they struggled to settle into the game rotation, Gar-Pal kept them moving with strong hits and well-placed tips.

Martin said the team’s downfall proved to be too many unforced errors throughout the match, but especially in the second and fifth sets.

She added she believed the errors occurred because of how aggressively and passionately the LWK athletes were playing. The team would always attempt to hit the ball over the net instead of passing, Martin said, which unfortunately did not result in positive points for the Lady Tigercats.

The team’s goal for the season was to compete at the State Tournament, Martin said.

“Although we did not finish our season at the State Tournament, I am very proud of my team for working hard until the end. They did not let up, or play ‘not to lose’. We were aggressive and played together,” Martin stated. “It was a disappointing loss, but I am not disappointed in my team.”

The team continued to battle until the final point, and the loss hit the team harder than any other this season. Martin said she had tried not to give much thought to it being the end of the Tigercats program, but now the reality of the situation has begun to sink in.

Prior to the season, at the request of athletes and coaches, the Lady Tigercats were able to compete in one final season as LWK, before the schools will begin new athletes cooperatives next year.

The LaCrosse athletes will now join the St. John-Endicott athletic cooperative, while the Washtucna and Kahlotus teams will join the Lind-Ritzville/Sprague athletic combine.

Martin serves as the LaCrosse School District Athletic Director, and she understands the reasoning for the ending of the program, but it will still be a tough transition.

“I am very happy with the boards understanding that we all want what is best for our student/athletes and that providing opportunities for them is what matters,” Martin stated.

The team shared an emotional goodbye on the court Saturday, and Martin said while it has been hard on them initially, she expects all of the LWK athletes to thrive in their new athletic cooperatives.

The LWK team did have an opportunity to celebrate two athletes prior to the conclusion of their season. After the match against Gar-Pal, Alynn Harder was recognized as an Honorable Mention League athlete, while Jazzmyn Gordon was named to the All-League Team.