Everett volleyball advanced to the District 1 3A championship on Thursday by defeating Ferndale 3-0 at Stanwood High School. The Seagulls, who are ranked No. 3, outplayed the No. 2 seed Golden Eagles with final set scores of 25-22, 25-19, and 25-21. This victory marks the second year in a row that Everett has reached the district final, a milestone that helped the program clinch its first state tournament berth since 2009 the previous season.
While the team relied heavily on its star senior duo of Ava Gonzalez and Ava Urbanozo to establish an early two-set lead, contributions from the supporting cast proved decisive in the third set. Sophomore Elsa Breeden recorded a critical out-of-bounds dig that led to a kill by Gonzalez, cutting the deficit to 3-2. Subsequent points from sophomore Jessica Pascual-Surquislla and freshman Alexa Urbanozo helped Everett build a comfortable lead in the closing stages of the match.
Coach Marsha Poischbeg emphasized that winning at this stage requires effort from the entire roster. She noted that while Gonzalez and Urbanozo provide strong leadership, the team's defensive blocking in the third set, featuring Pascual-Surquislla, Marley Lockey, and Grace Selders, created a significant momentum swing. "You can't win a game with just two players," Poischbeg stated, highlighting the pivotal role of the block in shutting down opponents.
Statistically, the senior setters and hitters dominated the box score. Ava Urbanozo contributed 34 assists and 13 digs, while Gonzalez recorded 29 kills, four digs, and two aces. Alexa Urbanozo added 11 digs and an ace, and Lockey finished with two blocks. The team’s ability to control its side of the net was a recurring theme in the coaching staff's post-game analysis.
In the first set, Ferndale briefly took the lead with kills from Teia Dube Anderson and plays by Sarvir Bhachu and Adelle Overson. However, the Seagulls tied the score at 19-19 out of a timeout before taking the set. Ava Urbanozo credited the team’s focus on playing one point at a time and maintaining composure as the key to pulling ahead in that initial frame.
The second set saw Everett jump out to an early 9-4 lead, aided by a block from Selders and strong digs from Grace Regan Bone and Ava Urbanozo. Although Ferndale narrowed the gap momentarily, a series of unreturned shots by the Golden Eagles allowed the Seagulls to extend their lead to 19-10. Gonzalez sealed the set with a block of her own, extending Everett's lead in the match.
The third set mirrored the intensity of the previous frames. After Ferndale cut the deficit to 9-8, athletic digs from the Urbanozo sisters, Breeden, and Selders led to seven additional kills by Gonzalez, creating a 17-11 cushion. Despite a late push by Anderson, Everett controlled the final minutes to secure the sweep.
Gonzalez reflected on the team's growth compared to the previous year, when they had to win in five sets. "We swept them," she said. "Last year, we went to five sets.. This year, we swept them, and I feel like that shows so much growth in our team." The players celebrated their victory in front of a group of roughly 40 students from Everett who traveled to Stanwood to cheer.
The Seagulls now look to defend their district title against Stanwood, which defeated Monroe 3-1 in the other semifinal. Notably, Everett has not defeated the Spartans in the seniors' four seasons on the varsity team. Poischbeg encouraged the team to play freely and enjoy the final district game, aiming to secure a favorable seeding for the state tournament.
