Sep. 21—It’s not very common for volleyball players and coaches to be stressing over the weather forecast ahead of a game.
In the case of Tuesday’s showdown between rivals Mead and Mt. Spokane, all eyes are on the sky.
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That ‘s because the Panthers (2-2) and Wildcats (3-1) are set to join a growing national trend of playing on a temporary court under the lights at Union Stadium, with the match scheduled for 6 p.m. Tuesday.
“Under the lights, against your rival for an incredible community event. It doesn’t get better,” Mt. Spokane coach Darcy McMurray said. “This is a really fun trend that is happening in women’s sports and volleyball, and the fact that we are able to capture it and have it in our own community should just make for an epic game and atmosphere.”
Mt. Spokane athletic director Bobby Lee said discussions about an outdoor game started last year, but never came to fruition. Then this year the district started working with the group at Pacific Northwest Qualifier, who are providing the sport court and assisting with the setup for the game.
“They’re going to show up Tuesday early at Union Stadium with the court and stands and we’re all just going to start moving stuff in and put together so the girls can get some practice in and then we can get to it in front of a great crowd,” Lee said.
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McMurray said although the conditions will be different, she has stressed to her team that the important part is to just play volleyball like they normally would.
“You know, beach volleyball has become a big thing here in Spokane, so a lot of the girls understand how to play outside and with wind,” McMurray said. “And so many girls play club and tournament volleyball, so these temporary surfaces are something they are used to as well.”
Both Lee and McMurray, along with the staff and administrators at Mead will be keeping a close eye on both the weather and court conditions to keep player safety as the top priority.
As of Monday though, the weather appears to be trending perfectly for the contest. A high of 79 is in the forecast with some cloud cover and a 1% chance of rain according to AccuWeather. Wind gusts are also forecast to top out at 10 miles per hour. If the game is unable to be played due to weather, it will be canceled as it is a nonleague contest for both teams — so no makeup game is required.
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Tickets to the game will be available at the gate and will cost $10 for adults and $5 for students, seniors and military. GSL Sports Passes and ASB cards will be accepted as well.
Lee also said that part of the proceeds from the event will go to help those affected by last month’s Spokane Complex fires.
This will also be a good learning opportunity for Mt. Spokane to play outside, as the Wildcats will be playing in another outdoor game at Lake City High School in Coeur d’Alene on Oct. 3.
“I’m really looking forward to not only the good level of volleyball, but the community aspect of the game as well,” McMurray said. “Even in our Cat Fight game, it almost brings tears to my eyes looking at the stands and seeing all the students that want their team to win, but are all still wearing the same color pink. And all the girls are so close as well, that it’s competitive, but it’s also about this amazing community.
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Sheridan-Welch Crossover
The area’s biggest in-season tournament is back once again as 56 teams from Washington and Idaho will take place in the Sheridan-Welch Crossover Tournament on Friday and Saturday.
The tournament will have pool play Friday evening and Saturday morning at Shadle Park, Lewis and Clark, Ferris and Rogers and then after pool play is finished, teams will relocate for bracket play Saturday afternoon. Shadle Park will host the gold bracket, LC will host the silver bracket, the bronze bracket will be at Ferris and the copper bracket at Rogers.
Thirteen Greater Spokane League varsity teams — along with a handful of JV teams — will be playing, along with state tournament contenders White River, Davis, Glacier Peak and Oakesdale.
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Play begins at 7 p.m. Friday night and continues at 8 a.m. Saturday. Tickets are $10 for adults and $5 for students with GSL Sports Passes not accepted. Entry to the Friday night games will be free and wristbands upon entry will be provided and are transferable between gyms.
Disclaimer : This story is auto aggregated by a computer programme and has not been created or edited by DOWNTHENEWS. Publisher: Sports.yahoo.com
