Centralia, WA — The Clark College volleyball team showed grit and flashes of momentum in a tough non-conference doubleheader Friday, but the Penguins came up short against Tacoma and Centralia.
In the opening match against Tacoma, Clark pushed the Titans to five sets before falling 25-18, 15-25, 25-20, 23-25, 15-9. The Penguins matched Tacoma with 52 kills apiece, led by Alexis Echols with 18 kills and Abigail Heberle with 12. Setter Taylee Wilson ran the offense with 36 assists and added 11 kills of her own, hitting an impressive .550. Emelynn Cecil anchored the back row with 19 digs, while Kim Saechao chipped in 12 digs. Clark also served tough, finishing with 13 aces, including three each from Wilson and Cecil.
Despite the balanced effort, Tacoma's late-set execution proved the difference, handing Clark a narrow five-set loss.
In the nightcap, the Penguins couldn't keep pace with Centralia, dropping a straight-set decision 25-20, 25-16, 25-15. Echols again paced the attack with 10 kills and a solo block, while Kylie Miller added seven kills. Cecil continued her strong defensive play with 13 digs, and Wilson dished out 21 assists to go with three aces.
The losses drop Clark to 1-6 on the season, but the Penguins continue to show signs of growth with multiple players stepping up.
Clark returns to action on September 6th, with two more matches at the Blazer Clipper Classic. They face Clackamas at 9am and South Puget Sound at 6pm.
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