The Enumclaw High volleyball squad excelled at Friday’s subdistrict tournament at Mount Rainier High, winning three of four matches to advance to Friday and Saturday’s West Central District Tournament as the No. 7 seed from the South Puget Sound League 3A/Seamount League pairings.

Enumclaw plays the No. 1 seed out of the Greater St. Helens League, most likely Prairie, at 3:30 p.m. Friday at Auburn Mountainview.

Enumclaw put itself in jeopardy of an early departure at Mount Rainier as it lost its tournament opener to the host Rams 25-18, 25-23, 22-25, 18-25 and 15-11.

After the initial setback, it was nothing but victories as Enumclaw swept Foster and Peninsula aside in three sets each and then took a nail-biter over Highline in a contest that didn’t end until 11 p.m.

Hornet sophomore hitter HayleeMae Dennis, who had 35 kills coming into the battle with Highline as well as a dozen blocked shots, played well throughout the tournament. But it was junior 6-foot hitter Katina Ferguson’s 11 kills and Richelle Carel’s four aces, combined with the 31 assists of junior setter Gina Sanders, that proved to be Highline’s demise.

Enumclaw matched Highline spike-for-spike as it polished off the Pirate girls in four sets 25-19, 25-22, 23-25 and 25-17.

“There is a lot of talent on this team and I still don’t think we have played the most consistent volleyball that we can,” said Enumclaw coach Jackie Carel, whose team finished the regular season with a 4-4 league mark and an overall record of 11-6.

“I think the best is yet to come for us, because I know what these girls are capable of,” Carel said.