Lynnwood recovered from a two-set deficit to defeat Mountlake Terrace on Thursday in a District 1 3A Tournament volleyball play-in at Lynnwood High School. The eighth-seeded Royals won 24-26, 22-25, 25-21, 25-16, 15-6, improving to 12-6 and advancing to Saturday’s quarterfinal against top-seeded Stanwood. The ninth-seeded Hawks finished at 10-8.
Senior middle blocker/setter Audrey Williams urged her teammates to keep competing after the opening two sets slipped away. The Royals had reason to believe a comeback was possible: They had overcome the same deficit against Mountlake Terrace on Oct. 12. Williams led Thursday’s effort with 21 kills, including four during the first eight points of the deciding set as Lynnwood built a 6-2 advantage.
The Royals also had to move beyond frustration over calls in the first two sets. A serve they believed touched the baseline was called out, giving Mountlake Terrace a 25-24 edge before an ace ended the opener. A Lynnwood net violation finished the second set. Junior Petra Guirges said she gathered the team afterward and encouraged players to pursue every ball while keeping their attitude positive.
The third set remained tight until Lynnwood pulled away late. Mountlake Terrace led 18-17 before consecutive kills by Williams and junior Maya Holden put the Royals ahead. Lynnwood’s final six points came through Hawks errors or violations, completing an 8-3 closing run. First-year coach Lisa McCullough credited improved defense with producing better passes and stronger connections between setters and hitters, while softer attacks and tips helped disrupt Mountlake Terrace.
In the fourth set, consecutive blocks from senior Maria Alaniz Luna helped Lynnwood establish an early 5-2 lead. Mountlake Terrace drew level, but the Royals broke an 8-8 tie with seven unanswered points. Contributions from Williams, Guirges and sophomore Jordana Leme Pezzano helped create that separation. A Holden dig later led to a Nadia Sundquist kill for a 20-10 advantage, and Lynnwood went on to force a fifth set.
Mountlake Terrace narrowed Lynnwood’s lead to 8-5 in the deciding set before sending consecutive attacks out of bounds. An ace by Sundquist and a block and kill from Alaniz Luna pushed the Royals toward victory. A Hawks net violation and another attack out of bounds ended the match. Guirges contributed 12 kills and three aces overall, Sundquist had 10 kills and two aces, Alaniz Luna added seven kills, and Leme Pezzano recorded four aces.
Hawks coach Jean Kellogg, who coached Lynnwood from 1997 to 2012, said the rivalry’s history affected her players as the match turned. Mountlake Terrace’s 3-1 victory on Sept. 17 had been its first against Lynnwood in 11 years. According to Kellogg, the Hawks had not won a set in the matchup during that span. She said some experienced players lost confidence Thursday after the team’s strong opening.
The victory marked another step in Lynnwood’s recovery from a 4-14 season in 2025. The Royals won district championships in 2023 and 2024, then returned to a 6-6 league record this season under McCullough. Stanwood, which scouted Thursday’s match, awaits with a 14-2 record. Williams, a member of both championship teams, welcomed the opportunity: “I’m just excited to play Stanwood at their home, and see what we can do there.”
