The Coupeville volleyball team slid by host South Whidbey 3-1 Tuesday to finish third in the Cascade Conference and build up some steam heading into Saturday’s sub-district tournament.

The Wolves (8-6, 9-6) trailed only King’s, the state’s top-ranked 1A school, and Archbishop Thomas Murphy, the state’s fourth-ranked 2A school, in the league standings. It is a bit or redemption for Coupeville who was picked to finish seventh in the eight-team league in a preseason poll of the conference’s coaches.

Coupeville now heads to Lynden Christian High School Saturday to battle with five other schools over three spots to advance to the tri-distict meet.

In the sub-district, the Wolves will open with Nooksack Valley (0-12) at 11 a.m. The loser will be out and the winner will take on Lynden Christian (11-1) in the winners’ bracket. The Lyncs are the state’s sixth-ranked 1A school and finished second in the 3A-2A-1A Northwest Conference behind undefeated Burlington-Edison, the state’s top-ranked 2A school.

In the other side of the bracket, Friday Harbor (2-10) meets Meridian (4-8). The loser is out and the winner will face King’s (13-1).

The victors in the winners’ bracket will play for the top two seeds and advance to tri-district. The losers will battle for the third and final tri-district berth.

In Coupeville’s 13-25, 25-21, 25-21, 25-23 thriller over South Whidbey, serving was the name of the game. Michelle Riddle, Jessica Riddle, and Julie Swankie combined for a perfect 50-50 from the service line. Michelle Riddle had four aces and Jessica Riddle two.

The Riddles each had 10 kills, and Swankie dished out 30 assists.

Coach Toni Crebbin said, “There were some pretty exciting plays. We played consistent, solid volleyball after the first game.”