When the Sprague High School volleyball team found itself trailing North Salem 24-21 in the first game Thursday, it looked as if the Vikings might pull out their third upset in a row.
But the fortitude the Olympians have shown this season came through as Sprague rallied back to win the first game 28-26 and swept the next two games 25-18, 25-20 for the home win.
"Throughout the season we learned how to compose ourselves in those kind of hard situations and just come back … with 'Oly Power,'" senior setter Madi Raines said.
"We kind of established what we want our team to be and we know that we have to do that to come back from such a hole in the game."
With the win Sprague (9-0 Central Valley Conference, 16-3 overall) clinches the CVC championship, the program's eighth overall and fifth in six years.
"All their hearts just were completely in it this season, and it was just fabulous to watch them play and enjoy watching them play the game of volleyball," first-year Sprague coach Anne Olsen said.
North Salem (4-5 CVC, 8-10 overall) came into the match following wins against South Salem and McNary in its past two league matches.
The Vikings broke a tie at 19 in the first game to take the lead, and two aces from Mykelann Hoffman helped North Salem force game point at 24-21.
But Sprague rallied for three straight points and down 26-25 got a kill by Lindsey Dorsey, a block by Maddie Oslie and an ace to Gretchen Brock to win.
"They just beat South the other night so they were hyped up on that," said Dorsey, who had eight kills. "We just came out really strong and played well."
Sprague did a better job spreading the ball around in the second two games and overcame six kills by Alyssa Neal in the last two games to sweep the match.
The league championship is good for Sprague, but what will benefit the team more is it was ranked eighth in the latest OSAA power rankings, which determine seeding for the 6A state playoffs.
"I think we just got a really solid team," said Raines, who had 19 assists, eight digs and three aces. "Obviously we don't have any star players on our team and we all just work together. Our new coach emphasizes the team aspect and I think that really helps."
Sprague d. North Salem 3-0
Game scores: 28-26, 25-18, 25-20.
Kills— A. Neal (NS) 6, Dorsey (S) 8; Digs— Raines (S) 8; Blocks— Rank (NS) 1, Oslie (S) 3; Assists— Raines (S) 19; Aces— Hoffman (NS) 5, Raines (S) 3.