Volleyball spikes down competition

Mt. Hood kicked off the 2013 NWAACC volleyball championship tournament on Thursday with a three-set victory against Everett (25-12, 25-12, 25-23).

The 16-team tournament runs four days in the Mt. Hood gym, ending with the championship match on Sunday, and the Saints hope to be in the final.

MHCC’s next match comes today at 10 a.m. against Lower Columbia.

Should the Saints win, they advance to third-round action at 6:30 tonight.

After starting slow in the Thursday morning contest, the South Region winners dispatched Everett, the fourth seed from the North Region.

The standout player was sophomore Shawna Smith, with 10 kills against Everett.

This is the third straight year that MHCC has hosted the tournament in Gresham.

Last autumn, the Saints placed fourth, after winning the title in 2011. This year the Saints look to rebound and regain the championship, led by their outstanding sophomore outside hitter, Lihau Perreira.

Perreira was honored this last week as the NWAACC South Region Player of the Week along with freshman Shea Lindsey. This is Perreira’s fourth straight week with one NWAACC award or another.

The Saints this autumn continue to rack up the honors.

On Wednesday, MHCC joined the other 15 tournament teams, along with school President Debbie Derr and Athletic Director Kim Hyatt, for the championship tournament banquet held in Portland.

MHCC was handed its South Region title hardware, while head coach Chelsie Speer was honored as South Region coach of the year and Perreira was honored as the region’s MVP.

By claiming the South Region, MHCC earned one of the four No. 1 tournament seeds, along with Olympic, Blue Mountain College, and Highline community colleges.

In the double-elimination tournament, the eventual champion could play anywhere from five to eight matches. The format allows teams to play through a “loser’s bracket” in order to reach the championship match having only lost one game.

This opens the possibility for MHCC to play against all three No. 1 seeds in the tournament.

Blue Mountain, the reigning NWAACC champion, is the top seed from the East Region and holds a 3-0 record against the Saints this season.

Blue Mountain defeated Spokane in the 2012 championship match (25-18, 25-17, 25-12).

While MHCC boasted an impressive 35-6 record heading into the title tournament, the Saints endured a tumultuous season of sorts. They suffered injuries and losses at different stages, with players battling injuries that lingered for weeks, months, and even carried over from past years.

Despite all that, the highly decorated Perreira is confident in her team and its grit.

“Whoever’s going to win this tournament – it’s not about talent. It’s about who wants it more, who’s ready to battle,” she said.That type of leadership and MHCC’s fighting spirit are going to be keys in the attempt to win NWAACCs and bring the Saints their second championship in three years.