ALBANY The one thing West Salem High School’s volleyball team needed to improve on this season was learning how to finish strong.
The Titans closed out the Greater Valley Conference season perfect Thursday.
No. 3-ranked West Salem completed the sweep of the league season with a 25-11, 25-15, 25-22 win at West Albany to win their second straight league title and finished perfect in the league for the first time since 2007.
West Salem’s Delaney Smith (6), Izzy Linares (16) and Kasey Campbell (2) celebrate a play in the West Albany vs. West Salem volleyball game at West Albany High School on Thursday, Oct. 20, 2016. West Salem won the match in three sets to secure its second-consecutive league championship.
“That is a huge accomplishment for us,” said West Salem senior outside hitter Kasey Campbell, who had eight kills, seven digs and three blocks. “One of our goals was to sweep the league and come in and put it out.
“We did that. We did that tonight. We’ve done that together, and I don’t think we could do any better than we’ve done.”
West Salem (16-0 Greater Valley Conference, 22-2 overall) next plays in the Nov. 26 first round of the OSAA Class 6A state playoffs. The Titans were ranked No. 3 in the OSAA’s power rankings entering Thursday’s match, giving them an enviable position going into the 32-team state postseason.
But the Titans, who placed sixth in state a year ago, demonstrated their growth against West Albany.
West Salem’s Mattie Kelly (10) sets the ball in the West Albany vs. West Salem volleyball game at West Albany High School on Thursday, Oct. 20, 2016. West Salem won the match in three sets to secure its second-consecutive league championship.
In the third set West Albany rallied to tie West Salem 18-18, but consecutive kills by Campbell and Delaney Smith gave the Titans back the lead for good, Kimmie Bain’s kill put West Salem up 24-19 and, after three Bulldog blocks, Campbell put the match away on a cross court kill.
Where previous versions of West Salem’s team might have let a set like that go, the Titans closed it out this time.
“We just have to remember that in order to do well in state we have to close everything,” said senior middle blocker Delaney Smith, who had seven kills and four blocks.
bpoehler@StatesmanJournal.com, 503-399-6701 or Twitter.com/bpoehler
West Salem head coach Katie Herber talks to her team during a timeout in the West Albany vs. West Salem volleyball game at West Albany High School on Thursday, Oct. 20, 2016. West Salem won the match in three sets to secure its second-consecutive league championship.
West Salem d. West Albany 3-0
Set scores 25-11, 25-15, 25-22
At West Albany
Kills- Pagie Whipple (WS) 15; Assists- Mattie Kelly (WS) 31; Digs- Ashley Owre (WS) 10; Blocks- Delaney Smith (WS) 4.