After winning a play-in playoff game, the Bainbridge girls volleyball team will face Prairie Nov. 10 at Capital High School in Olympia.

The Spartans defeated Bonney Lake 3-2 to qualify for postseason play Nov. 8.

The Spartans started slow as they hadn’t played since Oct. 26. But Bainbridge began to roll, winning the first set 25-12. “I have to give Bonney Lake credit as they fought back and took the second after we had trailed most of it and had a late lead,” BHS coach Andy Stephens said.

Bainbridge battled to the final whistle in the second set. But Bonney Lake won 23-25.

Bainbridge typically started fast and slowed down during the regular season. But the Spartans flipped the script with another slow start in the third set. Bainbridge survived with a 28-26 victory. “The girls never panicked,” Stephens said. “Bonney Lake had us chasing the ball and the score in the fourth showed it with them sending it to a fifth set.”

The Spartans were no match for Bonney Lake in the fourth set, dropping it 15-25, forcing a tiebreaker set.

“The girls found their groove between sets and started off strong by getting a lead and never trailed in the fifth,” Stephens said. The Spartans won the set 15-11.

Stephens said hitters Holley McFadden, Jameson Payne and Rollins Anderson scored big points, Elsa Wetzler went on a couple of serving runs, and Emma Pendelton and Kira O’Malley “made saves when the team needed them.”