Lincoln Larson delivered a match-high 24 kills Thursday night as Centennial outlasted Shadow Ridge in a four-set battle at Centennial High School, winning 25-16, 25-20, 22-25, 25-20. The Bulldogs improved to 25-5 overall and 4-0 in 5A Southern league play, while the Mustangs fell to 12-6, 1-1.
The first set saw Centennial race to a 5-1 lead and close on an 8-2 run. Shadow Ridge responded in the second, keeping it tight until a 20-20 tie, when the Bulldogs surged ahead. The Mustangs staved off a sweep by taking the third set, but Centennial rallied from a 15-13 deficit in the fourth to seal the match.
“We learned how to battle and come back when we’re down,” Centennial coach Kristie Heaton said. “Teams are not going to just roll over for you. They have to battle, they have to fight. It doesn’t matter who is on the court. We have to play our game.”
Cooper Swenson added 10 kills for the Bulldogs, and libero Ty Ahlstrom recorded a team-best seven digs. Shadow Ridge kept pace throughout, but Centennial’s depth proved decisive in the end.
