The Sailors celebrate their first win of the season after beating McKenzie 25-22 in the final game of a two match doubleheader. Eve McMaster, #4, Jostin Harrington, #10, Morgan Milbrett, #14, Tiyler Gloe, #6, Averie Walker, #2, and Helen Burruss, #11, were all important contributors to the Mapleton victory. Photo by Zac Burtt/Siuslaw News

Sailor volleyball team gets first wins of season

Oct. 10, 2022 — It’s been a difficult season for the Mapleton volleyball team.

The Sailors were forced to cancel almost their entire non-league slate of games due to the team not having enough players to take the court. Finally with enough players to compete, the team was able to start conference play, but because of cancellations and a difficult schedule, the Sailors had to play their first nine matches on the road, all of which they lost.

Finally, the Mapleton volleyball team got to come home. On Monday, Oct. 3, all the Sailors’ hard work came to fruition. Mapleton hosted McKenzie for a Mountain West League doubleheader and their first home matches of the season. The home team won both, 3-0 and 3-2.

In the first match, all three games were tight, but Mapleton swept to their first victory of the season, 25-23, 25-22 and 25-22.

Sophomore Morgan Milbrett had 6 aces and 5 kills in the first match against the Eagles. Freshman Averie Walker added 2 aces and 5 kills and sophomore Eve McMaster had 3 aces and a kill.

The visitors from McKenzie put up even more of a fight in the second match of the night.

The Eagles dominated the first game and won 25-14.

The Sailors answered with a similarly dominant performance in game two with a 25-15 win.

Game three was the tightest of the evening and McKenzie won 25-22 to take a slim 2-1 lead.

Mapleton tied it up with a 25-17 win in game four to tie things at 2-2, setting up a dramatic fifth and deciding game.

The home crowd was already excited after watching their team get its first victory of the season and cheered loud for the Sailors in game five.

Mapleton pulled away and won 15-10 — giving them the match victory, their second league win of the night and their first two league wins of a difficult but gradually improving season.

Milbrett had 9 aces and 6 kills in the second match. Walker scored 2 aces and 3 kills. Sophomore Helen Burruss and freshman Jostin Harrington had 6 aces each.

Sophomores Milbrett and Burruss, along with junior Tiyler Gloe, are the top returning players from last year’s team and played a leadership role on the court against McKenzie.

First-year varsity players Harrington, McMaster and Walker used bumps, sets and spikes to keep the ball off the floor on the Sailor side of the court and to help lead the Sailors to their first wins of the season.

A few days later, on Oct. 5, the Sailors hosted Triangle Lake, one of the top teams in the Mountain West League and fell 3-0.

Mapleton will wrap up the 2022 season this week. They faced Mohawk on Tuesday after press deadlines. The Sailors have a home match on Thursday against Siletz Valley at 6 p.m. then wrap up their season on Saturday, Oct. 15, another match at home, this one against Alsea at 1 p.m.