9/15/25

Curtis Vikings 3, Emerald Ridge Jaguars 0 (25- 20, 25- 20, 25- 20)

(University Place, WA) The top two teams in the SPSL met up for a non-league matchup as the Curtis Vikings hosted the Emerald Ridge Jaguars. The two teams did this last year, where they played one non-league match and a league match, which Curtis won them both. Curtis is coming off an undefeated season, capped off with the 4A State Title, and incredibly only lost seven sets all year during a 27-0 campaign. The Emerald Ridge Jaguars were one match away from making the State Tournament for the first time this decade, but finished second in the SPSL, with their only league loss coming at the hands of Curtis. The two sides showed why they were the top two teams in the league last year, and why they are poised to do the same this year.

In the first set, Emerald Ridge got off to a fantastic start, led by Olivia Puttler, who had a pair of aces as the Jaguars jumped out to a 3-0 lead. Curtis rallied back by taking the next three points to tie it up. Curtis took their first lead of the match at 5-4 before the teams traded points in a close set. Freshman Bella McNaughton had a nice kill as Curtis led 7-6, and Selana Morales added an ace at 9-8 for the Vikings. Curtis took the lead at 12-11 after a Kate Harris ace and jumped up to a 14-11 lead, but Emerald Ridge’s Katie Meade stopped the mini run with a kill for the Jags. Later in the set, Colby Bellerive for Emerald Ridge had an ace that saw Curtis’s lead drop to 16-15, and the Jaguars had a chance to tie the set again, but Curtis took the point and the next three for a 19-15 lead. Kayla Baker helped Curtis get to a 22-18 lead with a kill for the Vikings as they would take the first set 25-20.

Curtis won nine of the first 11 points of the second set, with Harris adding an ace, Mia Nelson, Elaina Duong, and Morales earning points for the Vikings. Emerald Ridge wouldn’t go away quietly and chipped away at the Vikings’ lead. First, it was Meade getting another kill to make it 10-4, then getting a block to make it 14-10, with Curtis still in front. Baker and Harris had back-to-back kills to make it 18-13 but Meade again won another point for the Jaguars right away. Curtis made it 21-16 before Nevaeh Thomas earned a couple of points for Emerald Ridge but they still trailed 22-18. Curtis won the second set, also 25-20 as the Jaguars comeback fell short.

Curtis would win eight of the first 10 points in the third set, with contributions from Tala Johnson, Duong, and Morales, who at one point won three of four points in a short stretch. Korbyn Hansen was tremendous in the third set for Emerald Ridge, as she won back-to-back points for the Jaguars to make it 8-4 and helped fire up the team. Emerald Ridge was trailing 12-4 as the Jaguars slowly but surely went to work on trimming the Vikings’ lead. Peyton Frederick earned a kill for the Jaguars to trim the deficit to 16-9. Later on, she had two straight aces, and suddenly the Curtis lead shrank to 17-15. Curtis rallied with three straight points, only to be matched by Emerald Ridge, who had a pair of kills from Hansen and an ace from Addison Barrett. After Hansen had another kill to make it 21-19 with Curtis still winning, the Vikings won a nice rally to go up 22-19. Curtis closed it out with another 25-20 set win, as the Vikings celebrated the hard-fought victory.

Our Sumner Holiday Inn Express Match MVP was not an easy choice, as there could’ve been 10 total players who were meritorious for the honor. Ultimately, it went to Selana Morales, the senior for Curtis. Her play at the net was powerful, she served it well, and her veteran presence gave Curtis just what they needed to get the win.

Curtis improves to 3-0 on the season, and their win streak is now at 30 matches, while it’s been nearly two years to the day when the Vikings lost at home. Curtis will host Kennedy Catholic on Thursday before ESN returns for an all-Vikings matchup against Puyallup on Monday.

Emerald Ridge drops to 2-2 on the season. The Jaguars welcome Skyline to town on Thursday before a league match against Yelm on Monday.

Click here for the full match replay (Subscription Required).

Match Highlights

Match MVP Selana Morales Sets Up The Block To Earn A Curtis Point

Emerald Ridge’s Korbyn Hansen Earns The Point After The Rally

Curtis’s Kate Harris Crafty Play To Win Point

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