by Tommy Wells
The Bethel Regional High School Lady Warriors saw their 2019 volleyball season come to an end this past weekend as they finished fourth in the final standings at the Western Conference Volleyball Championships in Kotzebue. Only the top two teams in the meet advance to the Class 3A state tournament.
The fourth-place seed heading into the tournament, Bethel suffered a tough loss in the first round. Top-seeded Barrow defeated Bethel by a 3-0 margin, winning 25-16, 25-14, 25-22.
With the loss, Bethel slipped into a third-place showdown with the Nome-Beltz Lady Nanooks. Nome ended the Lady Warriors’ season with a 3-1 decision, 23-25, 25-12, 25-18, 25-21.
Barrow nailed down the Western Conference title by following up its win over Bethel with a 3-1 decision over Kotzebue.
Kotzebue rallied from the loss nicely. The Lady Huskies clinched the second-place spot by defeating Nome, 3-0, on Saturday. The Lady Huskies won, 25-22, 25-21, 25-14.
Following the tournament, Bethel was awarded to 2019 Good Sportsmanship award. Nome-Beltz took the Academic honors.
2019 Western Conference All-Tournament team
Jenilee Donovan (MVP), Barrow
Leveah Mikisi, Kotzebue
Macey Witrosky, Nome
Jessalyn Swanson, Kotzebue
Clara Hansen, Nome
Janel Fruean, Barrow
