The Mount Si girls’ volleyball team will make a return appearance at the state 3A volleyball tournament this week in the Tri-Cities, hoping to create more memories like they did with their eighth-place finish in 2007.

Mount Si locked up the No. 3 seed from the SeaKing District last week, getting four wins in the five matches they played in the district tournament in West Seattle.

Last Thursday the Wildcats faced an early test with Seattle Prep, an opponent that has given Mount Si trouble in past district tournaments. The Wildcats came in 0-2 against Prep, with losses in both 2003 and 2006. Once again, this year’s meeting proved to be a difficult challenge, but the third try was the charm, as Mount Si overcame a two-game hole to win in five against the Panthers.

Miranda Pratt had 28 kills, three aces, 10 digs and two blocks to lead the Wildcats to a 23-25, 25-27, 25-20, 25-21, 15-12 victory. The 28 kills tied her school record mark, set against Bothell in September. Mackenzie Peerboom added 10 kills, while Robyn Schirmer added 40 assists to pace Mount Si. Bethany Frieler had a solid night as libero with 22 digs.

Mount Si then went up against a tough Holy Names squad. The Wildcats held a two-games-to-one lead after three stanzas, but the Cougars rallied to win both games four and five and take the match. Scores in favor of Holy Names were 19-25, 25-21, 21-25, 25-19, 15-11.

Schirmer had a 47-assist effort to lead Mount Si, while Pratt added 29 more kills and 13 digs to aid the cause. The 29 kills set a new school record, which Schirmer had previously set, then tied. Frieler added 20 digs, while Zoe Gogan contributed eight kills.

Last Saturday, the Wildcats opened the day against Bellevue, a team that Mount Si dominated in league play this season. Unlike the two Kingco league meetings during the regular season, this was more of a battle, but one that Mount Si was able to pull out in the end with a 25-18, 22-25, 25-15, 25-18 victory.

The Wildcats and Wolverines played a tight first frame, but Mount Si was able to take control late. Bellevue held their own in the second stanza to tie the match, but the Wildcats woke up and locked it up with a service error by Bellevue on match point.

The Wildcats then met Bishop Blanchet, a perennially tough foe. The Braves have been among the top programs in the state in recent years, and remain so this season, so Mount Si was in for their biggest test yet.

The Wildcats were down two games to none to the Braves, then rallied for a shocking five-game upset of Blanchet 17-25, 13-25, 25-20, 25-19, 15-11 to lock up their second straight trip over the Cascades to Kennewick. Pratt nailed down 21 kills to lead the way in this one, as Mount Si got a rematch with the Cougars for third place in district with this win.

Against Holy Names, the Wildcats proved to be dominant, outlasting them 25-22, 21-25, 34-32, 25-17. Schirmer’s 47 assists helped the Mount Si attack as they landed that third-place seed.

Mount Si travels to the Toyota Center in Kennewick for the state 3A volleyball tournament. This year, it’s on Thursday and Friday, Nov. 20 and 21, with matches starting Thursday at 9 a.m.