Sports

Bend, Summit, Sisters, Trinity Lutheran and Central Christian advance to volleyball state tournaments

Published

2 months ago

November 3, 2025

In the final volleyball match played in the Bend High gym, the third-seeded Lava Bears took down No. 14 Central 3-0 (25-16, 25-18, 25-19) Saturday afternoon to give the nearly 70-year old gym one final moment of glory.

The Bend High gym, which opened in 1956, will be torn down next year, but the champions of the Intermountain Conference gave it a proper farewell with a sweep to advance to their fifth-consecutive state tournament.

“It is bittersweet,” said Bend coach Kristin Cooper, who has led the program since 2007. “I love this gym and I’m very sad to see it go. It is all the little things, changing my kids’ diapers in the stands, practicing with them on my back. There are a whole lot of memories here. But I’m looking forward to making more in the new one.”

“Our energy was good on the court and our talk was super loud,” said senior libero Rylee Smith. “Everyone was playing with a lot of heart because it was our last game in this gym. It was fun to play well and go to state.”

This marks the fifth-straight year that the Lava Bears have advanced to the Class 5A state tournament. Bend will take on No. 6 West Albany at 10 a.m. Friday morning in the Class 5A quarterfinals at Forest Grove High School. Should the Lava Bears advance, it will be the fifth year in a row that they have reached the semifinal round.

“Everyone makes sacrifices for this team,” Smith said. “There isn’t one person who is slowing down or doing something to bring down the team. Everyone works together. That is what you have to do to go to state five years in a row.”

Summit overcomes early deficit to get past Silverton

The Summit volleyball team celebrates after scoring a point in the Storm’s 3-1 win over No. 12 Silverton in the first round of the Class 5A playoffs Saturday evening. (Brian Rathbone/The Bulletin)

Playing in its first home playoff game since 2019, there were admittedly some nerves among the Summit players early in the first round playoff match against No. 12 Silverton Saturday evening.

“Our seniors had never seen us host a playoff game so no one of us knew what it was going to be like,” said junior setter Jessie Doorn. “We weren’t sure if there was going to be a student section or not. It was a new experience for everyone.”

Added senior outside hitter Grace Ozolin: “We didn’t make it to state last year so we were kinda nervous. But I think that energy fueled us by the end of the match.”

And in the first set, those nerves were apparent. The upset-minded Foxes traveled over the pass and stole the first set from the fifth-seeded Storm 25-16.

But from there on it was all Summit, who won the next three sets to win 3-1 (16-25, 25-11, 25-18, 25-21) to advance back to the state tournament after missing it a year ago. The second set was particularly impressive, turning an 8-8 score into a resounding 14-point win.

“We just needed to calm down a little bit,” said first-year Summit coach Kevin McColloch. “I thought we matched up pretty well with them, but they came out and knocked us in the teeth a little bit. They not only won, they won convincingly. But once we found our rhythm it was easy to keep going.”

The Storm will play in the 5A state tournament against No. 4 Crater at 8 a.m. Friday in Forest Grove.

“This is my favorite team I’ve ever played on,” Doorn said. “I’m really looking forward to finishing out the season with my girls and having a lot of fun.”

Trinity Lutheran avenges last year’s playoff loss

The Trinity Lutheran volleyball team celebrates a point in the Saints’ 3-1 win over No. 15 Kennedy in the first round of the Class 2A playoffs Saturday afternoon. (Brian Rathbone/The Bulletin)

A year ago, the Trinity Lutheran volleyball team was in a very similar situation, playing at home as the higher seed on the verge of making it to the state tournament.

But the Saints were swept and had their season end.

It was a different result this season. There was no upset Saturday afternoon, as No. 2 Trinity Lutheran swept No. 15 Kennedy (25-20, 25-17, 25-23) to advance to the 2A tournament at Eastern Oregon University in La Grande.

“Our team didn’t win this game last year,” said junior Natalie Chambers. “We came in knowing 100 percent that we had this but we were going to have to work really hard for it.”

Trinity Lutheran will play in its fourth state tournament in program history and its first since joining the 2A ranks. The Saints will take on No. 7 Portland Christian Friday at 3 p.m.

“Practice makes perfect,” said first-year Trinity Lutheran coach Hannah Edison. “We practice a lot of pressurized situations and the girls have a lot of fight in them. Repeating what happened last year wasn’t an option. They came out fighting and got the job done.”

Sisters, Central Christian are tournament bound

Sisters will make a return trip to the 3A state tournament after a year hiatus after sweeping No. 12 Warrenton in straight sets (25-13, 25-18, 25-20) Saturday morning. The fourth-seeded Outlaws will take on No. 5 Dayton in the quarterfinals at North Bend High School Friday at 11 a.m.

It was a dominant performance Saturday afternoon by No. 3 Central Christian over No. 14 Triangle Lake in the second round of the 1A playoffs Saturday afternoon.

The Tigers swept Triangle Lake, winning each of the three (25-12, 25-8, 25-13) sets by double digits.

Central Christian will take on No. 6 North Lake in the quarterfinals at La Grande High School on Friday at 1 p.m.

Caldera, Madras, Culver have seasons end

There will be no return trip to the 5A tournament for Caldera. The 11th-seeded Wolfpack evened the match after a win in the second set, but could not win any more sets, falling in four sets (25-14, 20-25, 25-15, 25-12) Saturday afternoon at West Albany… Making its first playoff appearance in more than a decade, No. 12 Madras fell in straight sets at No. 5 Philomath (25-19, 25-18, 25-21) Saturday afternoon in the 4A playoffs… In the 2A playoffs, No. 12 Culver took the first set at No. 5 Heppner, but then fell in the next three to finish with a four-set loss (23-25, 25-15, 25-15, 25-15) Saturday evening.

Link

Sports

Emerald Acres Volleyball Tournament | MyRadioLink.com

Published

17 minutes ago

January 2, 2026

Your Sports Nation

Emerald Acres Volleyball Tournament | MyRadioLink.com

Link

Sports

Former Illini basketball sharpshooter Luke Goode engaged to Illinois volleyball star Kayla Burbage

Published

33 minutes ago

January 2, 2026

Your Sports Nation

Love is in the air for two of Champaign’s top athletes in recent years. Former Illini men’s basketball wing Luke Goode popped the question to Illinois volleyball middle blocker Kayla Burbage, the couple shared via Instagram on Wednesday.

“Proverbs 18:22: ‘He who finds a wife finds a good thing, and obtains favor from the Lord,’” Goode wrote. “Going into the New Years as future Mr. and Mrs. Goode!”

Goode spent the first three years of his college career in Champaign, graduating from the Gies School of Business in 2024 with a bachelor’s degree in finance. After his sophomore season was cut short due to a foot injury, Goode bounced back as a junior, playing in all 38 games for the 2024 Elite Eight team. That season, the 6-foot-7 sharpshooter averaged 5.7 points and shot 38.9% from three on just over four attempts per game.

Last season, Goode spent his final year of eligibility playing for his home state Indiana Hoosiers before turning pro. He is currently suiting up for the South Bay Lakers in the NBA G League. In 11 games so far as a rookie, Goode is putting up 7.6 points and 3.0 rebounds in just above 20 minutes per game.

Burbage just finished up her final season of college volleyball. After spending her freshman campaign at Missouri, Burbage decided to make the move to Champaign. As a sophomore and junior, Burbage played in every match on Illinois’ schedule: 60 total. A shoulder injury sidelined the 6-foot-4 North Carolina native for her senior season, but she returned for a graduate year in 2025. In her final season at Huff Hall, Burbage ranked second in total blocks (82.0) for the Illini and had the fifth-most kills on the team (98).

@sahil_mittal24

[email protected]

Link

Sports

Hawkeyes Knock Down Nebraska – Iowa Hawkeyes Athletics

Published

49 minutes ago

January 2, 2026

Your Sports Nation

IOWA CITY, Iowa – No. 14 Iowa (12-2, 3-0) defeated No. 20 Nebraska (12-2, 1-2) on New Years Day inside Carver-Hawkeye Arena, 86-76.

Sophomore Chit-Chat Wright dominated the day for the Hawkeyes with a career-high 24 points, three assists, and two steals. Senior Hannah Stuelke followed with 21 points, 10 rebounds, and four assists to notch her third double-double of the season.

The Huskers came out to a fast-paced 8-0 run to start the game. Stuelke got the scoring started for Iowa by getting to the line, sinking both free-throws. Three minutes into gameplay, the Hawkeyes began to capitalize on Nebraska miscues. Sophomore Ava Heiden led a 7-0 run for Iowa to bring the gap to 9-12 with 4:46 left in the quarter. The Huskers contained a narrow 21-18 lead headed into the second quarter.

Wright drained a three-pointer to start the second period, tying up the score for the first time on the day. The Hawkeyes went on to gain nine points on seven forced Husker turnovers in the half. Heiden led the quarter with eight points going 4-for-4 on field goals. A combined 26 points, shooting 66.7 percent in the quarter, left Iowa behind 44-45 at half.

The Hawkeyes came out of the locker room with an 8-2 run to put them in front. Iowa forced four Husker turnovers in the first three minutes of the third quarter, capitalizing five points off of them. Stuelke continued to be a difference maker for Iowa with seven points and two rebounds. This momentum pushed Iowa up 64-61 heading into the fourth.

In the final quarter, the Hawkeyes continued their defensive pursuit, forcing five more turnovers, adding to their total of 18 on the day. Senior Taylor McCabe hit a three-point basket at 4:32 to power Iowa to the end. The Hawkeyes pushed out a 15-6 run to secure a Hawkeye victory.

Link

Sports

Dallas Pulse set to make history in season opener at Comerica Center

Published

3 hours ago

January 2, 2026

Your Sports Nation

North Texas’ first women’s professional volleyball team will officially launch its inaugural season on Saturday, Jan. 10.

DALLAS — For North Texas volleyball fans, Saturday’s season opener represents more than just a first serve, it’s the beginning of something the region has been waiting for.

The Dallas Pulse, the region’s first women’s professional volleyball team, will open its inaugural season Saturday, Jan. 10, hosting the Indiana franchise at Comerica Center in Frisco.

The matchup marks the first Major League Volleyball game played by a Dallas-based team and is a milestone moment for the metroplex.

The Pulse will play 14 home matches during the 2026 Major League Volleyball season, giving local fans a consistent opportunity to support a women’s pro team built in their own backyard.

Saturday, Jan. 10 – Indy
Thursday, Jan. 15 – San Diego
Thursday, Feb. 5 – Omaha
Sunday, Feb. 8 – Grand Rapids
Thursday, Feb. 19 – Indy
Sunday, Feb. 22 – Grand Rapids
Friday, Feb. 27 – Orlando
Friday, March 13 – Columbus
Sunday, March 15 – Atlanta
Saturday, March 21 – San Diego
Thursday, March 26 – Atlanta
Friday, April 17 – Columbus
Friday, May 1 – Omaha
Sunday, May 3 – Orlando

Leading the team into its first season is head coach Shannon Winzer, who was named to the role in September. The January debut places Dallas at the center of the league’s early growth as women’s professional volleyball continues to gain momentum nationwide.

The timing feels right for North Texas. The region has long been a volleyball hotbed, producing elite athletes through nationally recognized club programs, championship high school teams and top-tier collegiate programs. Until now, many of those players, and the fans who followed them, had no local professional team to rally behind.

Dallas Pulse leadership told WFAA that they hope to change that.

Season ticket deposits are currently open, and the Pulse holds the No. 1 overall pick in the Major League Volleyball Draft scheduled for Nov. 24, giving the team a chance to add a cornerstone player ahead of its debut season.

Major League Volleyball is also preparing for future growth, announcing plans to add expansion teams in Washington, D.C. and Northern California in 2027.

Link

Sports

Iola outside hitter takes top honor on Texas 2A all-state volleyball team | APG State News

Published

3 hours ago

January 2, 2026

Your Sports Nation

State

Zip Code

Country

Link

Sports

Tritons Set for Preseason North American Challenge

Published

5 hours ago

January 2, 2026

Your Sports Nation

LONG BEACH, Calif. — UC San Diego men’s volleyball will prepare for the upcoming season with four exhibitions this weekend as part of the North American Challenge. The event will be hosted by Long Beach State on Friday and Sunday at the LBS Financial Credit Union Pyramid.

The Tritons will play two Canadian sides, Alberta and Calagry. They will play each team once on both days of the challenge.

SCHEDULE

Friday, Jan. 2

2 PM – vs Calgary

4:30 PM – vs Alberta

Sunday, Jan. 4

12:30 PM – vs Alberta

3 PM – vs Calgary

Live stats for all four matches will be available HERE. Fans interested in attending matches can purchase tickets through Long Beach State HERE.

UP NEXT
The Tritons open the 2026 season at home next Tuesday, Jan. 6. Jessup will visit LionTree Arena for a match that begins at 7 PM.

About UC San Diego Athletics
After two decades as one of the most successful programs in NCAA Division II, the UC San Diego intercollegiate athletics program has begun a new era as a member of The Big West in NCAA Division I. The 24-sport Tritons earned 30 team and nearly 150 individual national championships during its time in Divisions II and III and helped guide 1,400 scholar-athletes to All-America honors. A total of 83 Tritons have earned Academic All-America honors, while 39 have garnered prestigious NCAA Post Graduate Scholarships. UC San Diego scholar-athletes exemplify the academic ideals of one of the world’s preeminent institutions, graduating at an average rate of 90 percent, the highest rate among public institutions in NCAA Division I or II. For more information on the Tritons, visit UCSDtritons.com or follow UC San Diego Athletics on social media @UCSDtritons.