After overcoming the one team they couldn’t beat during the regular season in the district tournament semifinals, Mercer Island volleyball found itself victim to yet another team from the Metro Mountain division, falling to Lakeside 3-2 in the Sea-King 3A volleyball finals Nov. 8 at Lakeside High School. As the runner-up, Mercer Island will take the district’s second seed into the state tournament.

The Islanders opened the tournament sweeping Ballard 3-0 before advancing to take on Holy Names Academy in Saturday’s semifinal round, the only team to deal Mercer Island a loss this season back in September. After splitting the first two games, Mercer Island outlasted Holy Names in a crucial third set, winning 30-28 before closing out the match in the fourth set 25-12. Jemma Yeadon posted 22 kills, 23 digs, two aces and two blocks in the match, while Olivia Hughes had six kills, four blocks and four aces, and Natalie Robinson contributed five kills, ten digs, three aces, four blocks and 47 assists.

In the finals, Mercer Island met Lakeside, which finished second in the Metro Mountain standings behind Holy Names. Taking on the Lions in their home gym for the district title, Mercer Island grabbed a 2-1 advantage after winning the third set 25-19. But the Islanders couldn’t close out the Lions, dropping the next two sets 25-12 and 15-12. Jemma Yeadon had 28 kills, 25 digs and two aces, Brooke Behrbaum had seven kills and three blocks, and Tess Hendelman had 18 digs and two aces for the Islanders.

Mercer Island will begin state competition against Marysville-Pilchuck in the tournament’s opening round at 11:45 a.m. Friday, Nov. 14 in Lacey, Wash.