Friday Match to Watch: Mt. Rainier vs Silas

<p>It’s that time of the year again! The high school volleyball season is progressing at full pace in the state of Washington and we’re all enjoying all the exciting prospects of the Evergreen State in action once again.</p> <p>Twice a week, we’ll use this space to recommend some matches to keep and eye on and, most importantly, some of the most interesting prospects you’ll want to watch if you have an opportunity.</p> <p>Here’s the match to look out for on Friday, October 22:</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p><strong>Mt. Rainier vs Silas – 7.15pm</strong></p> <p>The Rams from the Mt. Rainier High School out of Des Moines are up to a solid season so far, having won eight and lost just four of their matches. The group of players led by head coach Pat Taitano is in good form, having won six out of their last seven matches, and ranks fourth in the 3A/4A N. Puget Sound (Olympic) District with two wins and one loss.</p> <p>The Rams from the Silas High School in Tacoma currently sit at the top of the 3A Pierce County District with ten wins and a single loss. The team coached by Ann Hansen holds a 11-3 win record for the entire season and has lost just once in their last ten meetings.</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p><strong>Players to Watch – Mt. Rainier</strong></p> <p><strong>Alani Taliloa – Outside Hitter – Club: North Pacific Juniors – 2025</strong></p> <p>The first-year outside has proven to be a perfect fit for the Rams as she immediately turned into a valuable asset for the team. Taliloa’s offense, in special, has provided Mt. Rainier an important boost as she’s the team’s top scorer in the season with 84 kills, averaging 3.2 per set. She’s also been playing good defense, having dug 23 balls in 26 sets, and is a superior serve receiver, totaling 83 passes so far.</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id="97299" first="Celia" last="Dowell"] – Outside Hitter/Defensive Specialist – Puget Sound Volleyball Academy – 2023</strong></p> <p>Outside hitter is an area of strength for the Rams as Taliloa proved to be a good complement to [player_tooltip player_id="97299" first="Celia" last="Dowell"]. A very technical player, the 5’5” Dowell, who also plays beach volleyball at a really high level, has been doing the hard work on the backcourt for the team, having tallied 51 digs and 62 passes so far. She’s been solid at the net too with 68 kills and has also fired 18 aces, helping Mt. Rainier’s scoring efforts.</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p><strong>Players to Watch – Silas</strong></p> <p><strong>Ivy Brown – Outside Hitter – Club: Puget Sound Volleyball Academy – 2024</strong></p> <p>A versatile player who can perform at a high level anywhere at the net, Ivy Brown has been a welcomed addition to Silas’ roster joining the team as a transfer from Wilson. The 5’10” prospect immediately became a centerpiece for the Rams and currently leads the team in kills (154), aces (42) and blocks (23), besides ranking third in digs (117) and passes (122).</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p><strong>Margaret Roberts – Setter – 2022</strong></p> <p>Margaret Roberts has been solid as it could be expected from a senior setter in her final season of high school volleyball. The 5’3” ballhandler has been doing a great job in running the team’s offense, having amassed as many as 440 assists (9.2 per set) so far in the season. Roberts is also excellent in her secondary roles as a setter, helping Silas with 112 digs and 40 aces this season.</p>