Class 4A: Top Teams – Lake Stevens

<p><em>The next high school volleyball season won’t start in Washington until March 2021, but there’s absolutely no reason why we should wait until there to know more about the best teams in each class. In this series, we’ll dissect each of the state’s six divisions by analyzing the top teams and the most promising players and what we can expect from them when the balls are finally allowed to fly. As our series comes to an end, we’ll touch on Class 4A.</em></p> <p><em> </em></p> <p><strong>Lake Stevens</strong></p> <p>Lake Stevens’ 2019 season ended with a heartbreaking defeat to Tahoma at the State Championship final, but those who were able to quickly dry their tears and look ahead certainly saw a bright future not too far away for the Vikings. Returning 13 of their 14 players, including their three All-State team selections and potentially the best player in the division in [player_tooltip player_id="96983" first="Samaya" last="Morin"], Lake Stevens can arguably be considered the frontrunners in the race for next season’s title in the division.</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p>Their three key players are:</p> <p><strong> </strong></p> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id="96983" first="Samaya" last="Morin"] – Outside Hitter – Senior</strong></p> <p>A two-time All-State team nominee, [player_tooltip player_id="96983" first="Samaya" last="Morin"] made it to the first team in 2019 with an outstanding performance for Lake Stevens. The 6’1” outside hitter, who already committed her future to play beach volleyball for Grand Canyon, was a force for the Vikings, carrying the team’s offensive load masterfully with 322 kills – 17 of which at the State Championship final. Ranked fourth at prepdig.com’s class of 2021 ranking, she also added 47 aces, 21 blocks, 228 digs and 212 passes to her remarkable season.</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id="96985" first="Karli" last="Tri"] – Middle-Blocker – Senior</strong></p> <p>[player_tooltip player_id="96985" first="Karli" last="Tri"] was another Lake Stevens player who was rewarded with an All-State team first-team selection for her good season. She was unequivocally the best middle-blocker in the division, benefiting from her 6’2” frame to make a massive impact at the net, registering 157 kills, 51 blocks and 25 digs for the Vikings over the season. She also did well in the State Championship final with seven kills and two blocks. Tri appears at the sixth spot of prepdig.com’s class of 2021 ranking.</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id="97003" first="Michelle" last="Fast"] – Setter - Senior</strong></p> <p>Every good team needs a good setter and Lake Stevens certainly doesn’t come up short on that department with [player_tooltip player_id="97003" first="Michelle" last="Fast"]. An All-State team honorable mention nominee in 2019, the 5’8” setter did a tremendous job in coordinating the Vikings’ offense with 714 assists in the season, an average of 7.4 per set. She also made a huge impact from the service line, leading the team with 52 aces, and was solid defensively with 181 digs. Fast ranks 24th at prepdig.com’s class of 2021 ranking.</p>