Lady Vikings Battle Through Preseason, Ready for Conference Play

The Big Bend Community College Lady Vikings have officially closed the book on their preseason schedule under first-year head coach Lindsay Linthicum. While the young squad is still searching for its rhythm, the early slate of matches has provided valuable lessons and momentum as they prepare for conference play.

The preseason opened with a home stand against Walla Walla, Tacoma, South Puget Sound, and Edmonds. Despite hard-fought efforts, the Lady Vikes were unable to secure a win. The following week at the Walla Walla Invitational, Big Bend ran into more stiff competition, falling to Chemeketa, Green River, Lane, and Umpqua.

This past weekend, however, at the Highline Crossover Tournament (Sept. 12–13), the Lady Vikes turned a corner. After showing flashes of growth on day one, the team rallied together on day two to finish the tournament 2–2—closing out their preseason on a high note.

The highlight came in their final match against Shoreline, where Big Bend staged a dramatic comeback. After dropping the first two sets (20–25, 20–25), the Lady Vikes roared back to take the next three (25–20, 25–10, 15–8). Setter Edyn Marlatt was clutch in the decisive fifth set, serving nine straight points to break the game open while the Vikings' defense stood tall behind her.

"That match showed us what's possible when we trust each other and play with belief," Coach Linthicum said. "The girls are beginning to see that there's more within them, and that grit and teamwork can push us through tough moments."

Not everything was perfect—the Lady Vikes' loss to Highline highlighted areas still in need of improvement, particularly reducing hitting errors and strengthening serve-receive to give their offense more chances to attack. But the coaching staff views those growing pains as opportunities for progress.

Now, the Lady Vikings turn the page to NWAC East Region play. They'll open at home on Friday, Sept. 19th, at 6:00 p.m. inside the DeVries Activity Center against the Blue Mountain Timberwolves. With their preseason battles behind them, the focus is on carrying momentum forward, shoring up consistency, and defending home court.