(SEATTLE, October 18, 2004)--In a sometimes-sloppy match that featured as many miscues as marvelous plays, the Garfield Volleydogs played just well enough to defeat cross-town rival Roosevelt, three games to none. If the Dogs can score a victory against Ballard during their Homecoming match Wednesday night, they will earn the right to host the first two rounds of the SeaKing district volleyball tournament October 26 & 28.

Against Roosevelt, Garfield was led by senior outside hitter Lillie Cohn, named today as the Seattle Times STAR OF THE WEEK for her performances last week against Inglemoor, Bothell and six teams at the Capital City Tournament (combined 54 kills, 16 aces, nine blocks and 46 digs). In game one against the Riders, Lillie began with a solo block, and added five big kills in a game in which neither team could break away. The contest was tied an incredible twenty-four times before junior Chelle Ticeson finally put away two consecutive kills, allowing the Volleydogs to hang on for a 30-28 win.

In game two, Cohn stepped up big at the serving line, at one point serving four aces in a row during a seven point run. Ticeson’s three blocks, senior Maddy Shaw’s three kills and junior Jamie Nikami’s setting proved the difference, as Garfield held off Roosevelt 25-20.

In game three, Cohn repeated her feat, serving another four consecutive aces. Back-row specialists Amanda Jamieson and Tessa Koutsky helped shut down the Riders’ impressive hitting, and the Dogs’ defense picked up numerous tips, en route to a 25-18 victory in the game and match.

Garfield has now won eighteen of its past twenty-one conference matches.

The Garfield Junior Varsity scored its sixth victory of the season with an inspired 2-1 win against the Roosevelt JV. Twice, the Dogs came from behind to post wins.

The final regular-season match of the season is Wednesday night, October 20, as the Volleydogs host Ballard in the Garfield gym. This is Homecoming Week at Garfield, and it will also be the chance to honor our graduating seniors: Raeya Tsutakawa, Hannah Weisman, Maddy Shaw, Lillie Cohn, Tara Kase and Amanda Jamieson. The night will feature music, contests and prizes, as the right to host the district tournament will be on the line for Garfield. JV begins at 6; Varsity at 7:30.

VOLLEYDOGS ROCK AT CAPITAL CITY TOURNAMENT
October 16, 2004

(OLYMPIA, October 16, 2004)--Garfield’s varsity Volleydogs played thirteen games in six matches over ten hours Saturday, and came away tied with the best overall record in the 2004 Capital Cities Tournament. Highlights:

Garfield defeated Shelton 2-0 (29-27, 25-20). Lillie Cohn: 5 kills, 2 aces; Hannah Weisman: 3 kills; Chelle Ticeson: 3 kills, 2 blocks.

Garfield tied Central Kitsap 1-1 (18-25, 28-26). Lillie Cohn: 7 kills; Molly Swenson: 5 kills; Maddy Shaw: 5 kills. Volleydogs scored final three points of game two, on a kill and service ace by Lillie.

Garfield defeated Puyallup 2-0 (25-14, 25-9). Lillie Cohn: 6 kills, 5 aces; Chelle Ticeson: 5 kills, 3 blocks; Jamie Nikami 3 aces. Lillie served 15 consecutive points in game two; Jamie served three aces in four consecutive serves in game two.

Garfield lost to Capital 0-2 (16-25, 11-25). Berit Erickson: 6 kills; Maddy Shaw: 3 kills; Chelle Ticeson: 2 aces. (On her 17th birthday, Berit ended the day with 13 kills in 6 matches)

Garfield defeated Rogers 2-1 (20-25, 26-24, 17-15). Lillie Cohn: 10 kills; Molly Swenson: 5 kills; Jamie Nikami: 5 aces. Volleydogs scored final three points of game three, on a kill by Lillie and a service ace by Jamie.

Garfield defeated North Thurston 2-0 (25-22, 25-18). Molly Swenson: 4 kills; Chelle Ticeson: 3 blocks; Lillie Cohn 3 kills, 3 aces.

[Without our usual contingent of JV statisticians, we were unable to record assists or digs. Amanda Jamieson and Tessa Koutsky each had plenty of digs; Berit and Jamie had lots of assists; Tara Kase had several killer serves and many digs; and Britt Thorson finished with 4 kills and 3 blocks, putting in extra time due to the orchestra commitments of Hannah and Raeya Tsutakawa).

Both Garfield and Bellarmine Prep finished the day with the top overall record of the sixteen teams in the tournament: 4 wins, 1 loss, 1 tie. Four times during the day, a game went to extra points, and the Volleydogs won all four. A successful day by any measure.

The Volleydogs’ next match is Monday, October 18 at Roosevelt. The match will be played at old Lincoln High School in Wallingford, seven blocks south of Woodland Park. On Wednesday, Garfield celebrates Homecoming as it hosts Ballard in the Garfield gym. The Volleydogs will honor their six graduating seniors. For both matches, JV begins at 6; varsity at 7:20.

If the Dogs defeat both Roosevelt and Ballard, they will host the first two rounds of the Sea-King District Volleyball tournament, October 26 and 28.

(SEATTLE, September 29, 2004)--To a waitress, a big-tipping guest is a good thing. To a volleyball team—not so good. The Eastlake Wolves found a way to counter Garfield’s big blockers, tipping and dinking their way to an exciting victory over the Volleydogs before a big crowd Wednesday night.

Game one began with big blocks from Lillie Cohn, Maddy Shaw and Chelle Ticeson. From there, the Wolves changed their attack, sending a variety of soft shots across the net. The game was close throughout, with Eastlake prevailing 25-20.

Game two was a barn-burner. Eastlake jumped to an 8-1 lead, and was still leading 17-9 when senior outside hitter Lillie Cohn stepped to the service line. Cohn served thirteen consecutive points, including six aces, forcing the Wolves to burn two time-outs. The game was knotted at 23, 24, 25 and 26, as fans in the packed gymnasium went into a frenzy. Despite four kills by Chelle Ticeson, Eastlake eventually prevailed 28-26, their last three points coming on tips.

Neither team gained a significant advantage in game three, as the Volleydogs got several clutch plays from outside hitter Molly Swenson, who tallied nine kills for the match. Long rallies were common, as both teams dug balls that seemed certain to drop. In the end, Garfield made the most unforced errors, and Eastlake came away with the game and match, 25-21.

The Volleydogs next match is once again at home, facing Lake Washington Monday night, October 4. JV is at 6, varsity at 7:30.

(SEATTLE, September 29, 2004)—Garfield High School junior Chelle Ticeson has been selected the Class 4A Washington State “Star of the Week” for the week of September 20-26. The award is given by the Washington Interscholastic Activities Association (WIAA) and the Seattle Times.

Ticeson, a 6-foot middle blocker, had eleven blocks and five kills in a hard-fought four-game win against previously-undefeated Woodinville on September 20. Three days later, she led the Volleydogs to their first-ever conference victory over defending league champion Redmond, recording another six kills and five blocks. In the September 27 five-game showdown against Skyline, Chelle recorded eleven kills, six blocks, eight digs and hit .526 for the match.

This is Chelle’s second year as a starter on the Garfield Varsity. She was also a member of the Washington Volleyball Academy’s U-18 club.

This is the second time a Garfield volleyball player has been honored. Senior Lillie Cohn was the WIAA/Seattle Times 4A statewide Star of the Week for the week of November 4, 2003.

(SEATTLE, September 23, 2004)--For the first time in ten tries, the Garfield Volleydogs defeated Redmond in regular-season conference play, snapping a string that stretched back to 1997. Garfield won in convincing fashion, thumping the Mustangs in their own gym in three straight games.

Game one started tight, as Redmond’s strong hitters were able to put the ball down with power. The Volleydogs adjusted their blocking scheme, and a kill by junior middle blocker Chelle Ticeson brought Garfield to within two, 14-12. Senior defensive specialist Tara Kase stepped to the line and served ten consecutive points, in a run which included three service aces. Redmond never recovered, as the Dogs went on to win game one 25-20.

Game two belonged to Garfield’s Berit Erickson. The junior setter kept the Mustangs guessing with a deft mix of sets, allowing junior outside hitter Molly Swenson and senior middle blocker Maddy Shaw to connect cleanly and convincingly. Three big runs by the Volleydogs were all Redmond could handle, as Garfield ran away with game two 25-14.

Game three was more of the same. Senior outside hitter Lillie Cohn had her best match of the season, powering twelve kills for the night and keeping rallies alive with pinpoint passing. For the second match in a row, Chelle Ticeson completed dominated at the net, recording five blocks for the match to add to her astounding eleven blocks earlier in the week against Woodinville. Redmond never got untracked in game three, as the Bulldogs won 25-14 to take the match three games to none. As she did at the end of all three games, Molly Swenson slammed down a kill for the final point.

Redmond is the defending conference and district champion, and had never lost a regular-season KingCo 4A conference match to a team from the city. In nine previous league matches dating back to the formation of the conference in 1997, Redmond had never dropped more than one game in a match against Garfield (the only Volleydog victory in the series was in the 2002 district playoffs). In 2003, Redmond was the only conference team to defeat Garfield during either the regular season or the district playoffs. Redmond and Garfield were the league’s 2003 representatives in the state tournament.

With the victory, Garfield has won thirteen of its past fourteen conference matches. The Volleydogs have a seven-match conference winning streak at home, and have won ten of their last eleven league matches on the road. Garfield stays in a three-way tie for first place with Inglemoor and Skyline; their next opponent is Skyline, the newest team in the KingCo4A conference. The match is Monday, September 27 in the Skyline gym; JV at 6, varsity at 7:30.

(SEATTLE, September 20, 2004)--The ceiling was shaking in Garfield’s venerable old gym Monday night, but that’s not why fans were howling “ROOF!” Time and again, Volleydog junior Chelle Ticeson rose to meet the attack of Woodinville’s tall and powerful Kristen Fass; over and over again she stood in Fass’s way. Eleven times Ticeson stuffed the ball for a block, jolting the largest home crowd in Garfield volleyball history to its feet. In the end, the Bulldogs handed the Falcons their first defeat of the season, and signaled that they will once again contend for the KingCo 4A crown.

The ‘Dogs started strong, as senior co-captain Lillie Cohn traded kills with Woodinville’s Fass. Game one see-sawed, with both teams effectively running their offenses, scoring points on kills and service aces. Two runs during the serves of junior Molly Swenson and sophomore Britt Thorson proved the difference, as Garfield won game one 25-20.

Game two was more of the same. The Volleydogs jumped to a 13-6 lead as Ticeson deflected Fass’ quick hits in the middle. Woodinville stormed back, taking a 22-21 lead, but saw their run end with another Ticeson stuff block. Swenson had the final two kills as Garfield prevailed 25-23.

It was Woodinville’s turn in game three, as the Falcons countered with strong attacks from both Fass and Tiana McClure, winning 25-19. But in game four, Garfield roared back, getting exceptional defense from senior Maddy Shaw and deadly serving from senior Tara Kase. Junior setter Berit Erickson, who had 22 assists for the match, kept Woodinville guessing, even as the score tightened to 24-23. In the end, Cohn found a way to win, turning a deceptively-strong hitting approach into a perfectly-executed tip for the game and the match.

The Garfield JV opened the night with a stirring 25-14, 20-25, 15-5 victory over the Woodinville JV.

The Volleydogs now hit the road for two big matches on the eastside. Thursday night, they travel to Redmond, in a showdown between the two teams from KingCo 4A that qualified for the 2003 State Tournament. Redmond handed Garfield its only conference loss last season. Next Monday, the Dogs are at Skyline High, where they meet the conference’s newest team for the very first time. JV matches begin at 6, varsity at 7:30.

(SEATTLE, September 15, 2004)--Before a boisterous crowd—and under the watchful eye of local media—the Garfield Volleydogs scored a 3-0 victory over the Franklin Quakers in the 2004 KingCo4A conference debut for both teams.

One of the largest and loudest home crowds in Garfield volleyball history watched the Volleydogs jump to a quick lead in game one, then hold on under a late Franklin charge to prevail 25-22. Junior outside hitter Berit Erickson led the way with four kills and two blocks; junior outside hitter Molly Swenson and senior middle blocker Maddy Shaw each added a pair of kills, while sophomore Britt Thorson contributed two blocks.

The Volleydogs also started strong in game two, but had to readjust when junior setter Jamie Nikami had to leave the match due to illness. Erickson and senior outside hitter Rae Tsutakawa picked up the setting chores and the slack, in time to hold off another late run by the Quakers. Led by three kills from Shaw and two kills and a block from junior middle blocker Chelle Ticeson, Garfield won game two 25-19.

In game three, Garfield overpowered Franklin all the way. Senior outside hitter Tara Kase led the charge, dishing up a confounding array of tough serves, earning a total of five aces for the match. Swenson had three kills and two aces in the game, while Ticeson added a kill, a block and two aces. Garfield won 25-10.

Garfield’s senior co-captain, Lillie Cohn, had to sit out the match with an injury. She is expected to return to the lineup next week. On Tuesday, the Seattle Post-Intelligencer named Cohn one of the “players to watch” in 2004 in Western Washington. She earned a similar designation from the Seattle Times last week.

Both the Post-Intelligencer and KING-5 News were in attendance at the Franklin match. A photograph of Chelle Ticeson appears in the September 16, 2004 P-I, and both Molly Swenson and the Garfield pep band were featured on KING-5 News.

On Saturday, Garfield travels to Kent for the prestigious Kentlake Invitational. In the morning rounds, starting at 8:00am at Kentlake High, the Volleydogs will face Kamiak of the WesCo Conference, Auburn-Riverside of SPSL and Ballard of KingCo 4A.

On Monday, September 20, Woodinville travels to the Garfield gym in a showdown for first place. Garfield has won the past four times the teams have met, including a classic winner-to-state match in which the Volleydogs fought off five match points.

(SEATTLE, September 11, 2004)—Two strong teams from the same neighborhood—public school Garfield and private school Holy Names—continued what has become an intense annual preseason rivalry. Before a packed house in the Holy Names gym, the Cougars prevailed in four games, 25-15, 20-25, 26-24, 25-22.

Holy Names, behind strong serving from their middle blockers, won game one handily. But the Volleydogs came right back in game two, spurred by four blocks from junior middle blocker Chelle Ticeson and three from sophomore opposite hitter Britt Thorson.

Game three was see-saw all the way. Senior co-captain Lillie Cohn led the way, recording seven kills. Junior defensive specialist Tara Kase delivered two consecutive service aces to knot the game at 24. The game ended on a difficult call, and the Cougars had a two-games-to-one lead.

Game four was a classic battle, featuring never-say-die defensive plays on both sides of the net. With the Volleydogs trailing 10-16, senior middle blocker Hannah Weisman connected on two service aces, followed by Cohn with three more and Kase with yet another three. Garfield took a 22-21 lead, but could not hold it, as unforced hitting errors allowed the Cougars to slip through with the game and match. Holy Names is now 3-0 on the season; Garfield is 1-1.

The Garfield junior varsity started the afternoon with their best-ever showing against Holy Names, a 1-2 loss by a razor thin margin, 25-20, 25-22, 24-26. The previous night, the JV won three of four games at the annual KingCo Jamboree, including a bruising 25-17 win against a tall and talented Woodinville squad.

On September 13, Garfield travels to Kent to face SPSL powerhouse Kentwood. Conference play begins September 15, when Franklin visits the Garfield gym. The Kentwood and Franklin JV matches begin at 6; varsity at 7:30.

(SEATTLE, September 8, 2004)--Before a large and loud Freshman Orientation crowd in the Garfield gym, the Volleydogs opened the 2004 season with a 3-0 victory over Bremerton. Garfield won 25-19, 25-17, 25-20.

Senior co-captain Lillie Cohn led the way for Garfield, splitting time between setting and hitting. Cohn had 7 kills, 4 assists 1 block and 2 digs, and put away 5 aces from the serving line.

Sophomore Tessa Koutsky, playing her first varsity match, was stellar on defense. Playing in the libero position, Koutsky has 9 digs, and dazzled the crowd with a variety of tough saves. Senior middle blocker Maddy Shaw also played storong defense, recording 2 digs and making several strong plays.

Setters Berit Erickson (6 assists) and Jamie Nikami (4 assists), both juniors, had steady performances; Erickson added 4 kills and 3 aces, while Nikami served tough with 4 aces. Junior outside hitter Molly Swenson recorded 5 kills and 2 blocks, while junior middle blocker Chelle Ticeson had 4 kills and served 3 aces.

The Garfield junior varsity started the night with a rousing 3-0 victory over the Bremerton JV, 28-26, 25-22, 15-9. The Volleydog JV trailed 18-11 in the first game, but hung tough to tie the score at 24, then 24, then 26, before pushing through for the win.

On September 10, the Garfield JV travels to Bothell for the KingCo 4A JV Jamboree. On September 11, the Volleydogs head to the gym of neighborhood rival Holy Names, where the JV match starts at 1 and the varsity at 2:30. On September 13, it's down to Kent to face SPSL powerhouse Kentwood, and then conference play begins September 15, when Franklin visits the Garfield gym. The Kentwood and Franklin JV matches begin at 6; varsity at 7:30.

(SEATTLE, August 26, 2004)--After days of spirited tryout sessions, the Garfield coaching staff announced the names of the players selected to the 2004 varsity and JV Volleydog squads.

The varsity features six seniors, including outside hitter/setter Lillie Cohn, libero Amanda Jamieson, defensive specialist/outside hitter Tara Kase, middle blocker Maddy Shaw, outside hitter Raeya Tsutakawa and opposite hitter Hannah Weisman. The four juniors on the team are setter/opposite hitter Berit Erickson, setter Jamie Nikami, outside hitter Molly Swenson and middle blocker Chelle Ticeson. Rounding out the team are two sophomores, defensive specialist/libero Tessa Koutsky and opposite hitter Britt Thorson. Of the twelve players, seven were members of the 2003 varsity team which finished 9-1 in KingCo conference play and advanced to the State Tournament for the first time in school history. The other five were members of Garfield's 2003 junior varsity, which posted its best record in ten years.

The 2004 junior varsity is led by junior outside hitter/opposite hitter Tatiana Gellein. Six sophomores on the team include middle blocker Lizbeth Arias, libero Andrea Arkans, outside hitter/opposite hitter Kyra-lin Hom, setter Lauren Lalonde, opposite hitter Eisha McKinney and middle blocker Saghal Scego. The six freshman on JV are middle blocker Maddie Boardman, defensive specialist Kaylee Dye, outside hitter Erica Jornlin, outside hitter/opposite hitter Lauren Kaczmarek, defensive specialist Alex Ndgewa and setter Carly Tsutakawa.

Thirty Garfield students turned out for the 2004 volleyball season, and all contributed to one of the most competitive and succesful tryout weeks in school history. Head coach Leslie Hamann, assistant coach Jack Hamann and graduate assistant Lauren Hamann were all impressed with the attitude, enthusiasm, and effort of those who spent long hours in the gym. They each expressed their gratitude for all the hard work, for those who were and were not selected this season.

Preseason practice continues through September 7. The Volleydogs' first home match will be September 8, when they host Bremerton in the Garfield gym.

(SEATTLE, August 3, 2004)--Garfield High School's varsity volleyball team has been recognized as one of the top academic teams in the United States by the American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA). It is the second year in a row--and the third time in five years--that the Volleydogs have been so honored.

Only two high schools in the Northwest (Washington, Idaho, Oregon & Alaska) received the award for 2003-04, Garfield, a Division 4A public school in Seattle, and King's West, a private Division B school in Bremerton. In 2002-03, Garfield was also one of only two teams in Washington to win the award.

AVCA acknowledges college and high school volleyball teams who maintain at least a 3.3 grade point average for an entire academic year. The 2003-04 Volleydogs earned a team GPA in excess of 3.7.

Two Northwest colleges were also honored: Division 1 Eastern Washington University in Cheney, and Clackamas Community College in Portland, OR. Among the large universities receiving this year's award were such renowned institutions as Stanford, Northwestern, Rice, Seton Hall, Virginia, Virginia Tech and Bucknell. Smaller colleges included NYU, Colby, Claremont-Mudd-Scripps, Carlton, Emory, Cornell, Macalister, Pomona, Oberlin, Wesleyan and Vassar. Another winner, Williams College of Massachusetts, includes 2003 Garfield graduate Reget Gebreberhan.

The Garfield Volleydogs honored by AVCA include three members of the class of 2004: Alix Toothman (now at Dartmouth), Kathleen Compton (Whitman) and Laura Shaw (University of Washington). Those in the class of 2005 include Lillie Cohn, Amanda Jamieson, Madeline Shaw, Hannah Weisman, Tara Kase, Catherine Juson and Burnley Dluhosh. Members of the class of 2006 are Chelle Ticeson and Molly Swenson.

The Garfield Volleyball head coach is Leslie Hamann. Garfield's athletic director is Peggy Jackson-Williams. The Garfield principal for 2003-04 was Susan Derse.

See AVCA press release

(SEATTLE, June 3, 2004)--A survey of the high school athletic associations from all 50 states found that girls in the state of Washington are limited to one of the shortest and most restrictive high school volleyball seasons in the nation.

The survey, conducted between May 24-June 2, 2004, found that Washington ranked 45th among the 49 states which offer girls' volleyball (Vermont does not offer the sport). In Washington, teams may schedule just sixteen matches per season, including up to two tournaments. Only five states--Georgia (15), Alabama (15), Arkansas (14), Maine (14) and Oklahoma (13)--allow fewer matches. The volleyball season in Washington runs just 12 weeks; only Idaho (11 1/2), Kansas (11) and Maine (11) are shorter. (In 2004, the Washington season is just 11 1/2 weeks long).

See full report

2004 GRADUATING SENIORS ANNOUNCE THEIR COLLEGE CHOICES
May 29, 2004

Seven girls who played volleyball during their time at Garfield have decided which lucky colleges will be their homes for the next four years (or so).

ALIX TOOTHMAN will be attending DARTMOUTH COLLEGE. Alix (and fellow Volleydog Kathleen Compton) finished with a perfect 4.0 grade point average, and is one of Garfield's class valedictorians. Alix also received offers from the UNIVERSITY OF WASHINGTON (Honors Program), DUKE UNIVERSITY, NORTHWESTERN UNIVERSITY, UNIVERSITY OF CHICAGO, UNIVERSITY OF PENNSYLVANIA and USC. She was a NATIONAL MERIT SCHOLAR finalist, and was among an elite group of scholar-athletes who received the 101 Club Award from the Washington Athletic Club.

KATHLEEN COMPTON has selected WHITMAN COLLEGE, where she was awarded the WILLIAM O. DOUGLAS MERIT SCHOLARSHIP, the highest accolade for incoming students at this academically rigorous school. Kathleen (and fellow Volleydog Alix Toothman) finished with a perfect 4.0 grade point average, and is one of Garfield's class valedictorians. Kathleen turned down acceptance letters and scholarship offers from from the UNIVERSITY OF WASHINGTON (Honors Program), OBERLIN COLLEGE and COLORADO COLLEGE. Until classes begin, she is interning at the Fred Hutch Cancer Research Center, partnering with a lab scientist in researching cancer cell proteins.

LAURA SHAW, co-captain of the 2003 Volleydogs, was admitted to the UNIVERSITY OF WASHINGTON. Laura is still awaiting word from CORNELL UNIVERSITY.

DANA KAMARA will enroll in the Honors Program at the UNIVERSITY OF WASHINGTON.

ALEX FINE will attend WILLAMETTE UNIVERSITY in Salem, Oregon.

ROISIN WHALEN is headed to the Bay Area, where she was given a scholarship by the UNIVERSITY OF SAN FRANCISCO.

JENNIFER GOODE, now living in the Sacramento area, will continue her studies at CONSUMNES RIVER COLLEGE.

Garfield's players, parents, coaches and school administrators are proud of all our Senior Volleydogs, each of them continuing a tradition of keeping the "student" in "student-athlete." Congratulations to all!

2004 SPRING TRAINING JUNE 1, 3, 8 & 10
March 18, 2004

During the first two weeks of June, we’ll set up nets after school in the Garfield gym for Spring Training. The scrimmages will give the coaches an opportunity to evaluate returning players and start planning for next season’s teams. Have a friend who likes volleyball? Bring her along! We’ll set up a “beginners’ net” for anyone who is interested. So far, we have the gym reserved for from 2:30-4:30pm on June 1, 3, 8 and 10. It will be a good way to exercise before final exams and a great chance for all of us to reconnect.