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The Meadowdale Mavericks, playing their first competitive match in a week, seemed to be running in a fog early in their tangle with the Shorewood Stormrays on Monday. But once they weathered a stormy first set, it was then full speed ahead to a big Wesco League victory.
The Mavericks bounced back from a first set loss to sweep the following three sets and defeat the Stormrays 3-1 (17-25, 25-16, 25-23, 25-13) in a Wesco League regular season finale played at Shorewood High School.
Senior Violet DuBois led the Mavs to the win with a triple double: 14 digs, 12 kills and 10 aces. But DuBois was more excited about the team victory than any individual statistics she had compiled.
“I think we showed tonight the team we could be, for sure,” DuBois said. “When we play together, play as a team, I think we’re capable of a lot. I’m really proud of the girls.
Meadowdale, after the first-set loss, grabbed the momentum in the second set by jumping out to a commanding 15-2 start. The Mavericks led 21-8, then held on for a 25-16 set win to tie the match at 1-1.
In the pivotal third set, the Mavs pulled out to a 21-12 lead before Shorewood made a push at the end and came within a point at 24-23. But DuBois ended the set with an emphatic kill, putting the Mavericks up 2-1.
The late third-set rally by the Stormrays would be their last of the night as Meadowdale scored the first 10 points of the fourth set — helped along by three DuBois aces. The senior added a couple more aces late as the Mavericks ran away with the set win 25-13, securing the 3-1 match victory.
Meadowdale’s win broke a five-match losing streak to the Stormrays over the past three years and was their third win in four matches to end their 2025 regular season.
“I think that we’ve finally clicked and we’re starting to play our best volleyball, for sure,” Mavericks’ second-year coach Emily Carroll said. “I don’t know if tonight was it, but it was close.”
Ja’elle Jenkins led the Mavericks in kills with 21 on Monday; the senior also had 16 digs in the match. DuBois likes the way Jenkins has developed into the team’s go-to hitter.
“She’s super consistent. She’s definitely a hitter we can rely on,” DuBois said of Jenkins. “If you think of an aggressive hitter, she’s the first one that comes to mind. She knows how to finish the ball, finish the point, kill it every time.”
DuBois and Jenkins are two of the five seniors on the Mavericks’ squad. The other three are Constantine Boenarjo, Rian Paris and Lindsey Warner. All five were part of the Meadowdale team that qualified for the 3A state tournament in Yakima in 2023 and all are playing big roles on this year’s team.
“We have a solid five seniors that are all on the court together at the same time, which is really fun and exciting to see,” Carroll said. “Once we got that lineup going, it’s been fun to see that happen.”
With the regular season now over, the Mavericks (5-7 in 2A/3A Wesco League South Conference, 7-9 overall) move into the postseason as the No. 8 seed in the District 1 3A volleyball tournament and will host a play-in, loser-out match on Thursday, Nov. 6. First serve against the No. 9-seeded Shorecrest Scots is set for 7 p.m.
The top four teams to come out of the 12-team tournament will qualify for the WIAA 3A state volleyball tournament in Yakima Nov. 21 and 22.
While not saying the word “state” specifically, both Dubois and Carroll may have hinted on Monday that this Mavericks’ team has what it takes to get to the coveted event at the Yakima Dome later this month.
“If we play like we’ve been playing tonight and as a team, I think we can go really far,” Dubois said.
“I think we can go as far as we want to,” said Carroll. “I think we just need to stay strong, stay determined and take it one game at a time.”
To view the entire District 1 3A Volleyball Tournament bracket, click www.wpanetwork.com/wiaa/brackets/tournament.php?act=view&tournament_id=4841.
Prep Volleyball: Meadowdale at Shorewood, Nov. 3
Meadowdale 3 – Shorewood 1 (17-25, 25-16, 25-23, 25-13)
Top Meadowdale individual performers:
– Violet DuBois: 14 digs, 12 kills, 10 aces
– Ja’elle Jenkins: 21 kills, 16 digs
– Rian Paris: 21 assists
– Ariana Ree: 18 assists
Records: Meadowdale 5-7 in 2A/3A Wesco League South Conference, 7-9 overall; Shorewood 6-6 in 2A/3A Wesco League South Conference, 7-9 overall
Meadowdale next match: versus Shorecrest; Thursday, Nov. 6; 7 p.m. at Meadowdale High School (District 1 3A Volleyball Tournament play-in, loser-out match)
Shorewood next match: versus Mount Vernon; Thursday, Nov. 6; 7 p.m. at Shorewood High School (District 1 3A Volleyball Tournament play-in, loser-out match)
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