LACEY — Not many classes in the history of North Thurston High School volleyball have won more games than the Class of 2027.
The Rams seniors have been a part of 84 wins, including a 2025 state championship, a 2024 second-place state finish, and a fourth-place trophy in 2023.
They followed the Class of 2026, which won 91 games, and while both are credited with the recent run of North Thurston’s postseason success, the connection between longtime head coach Jackie Meyer and the Class of 2027 runs as deep as any she’s had.
For example, Meyer has known senior outside hitter Abby Losey since she was in kindergarten, as she coached Abby’s sisters Kailey and Sandra. Donna Losey, Abby’s mother, has been working with the team for a decade. Meyer also coached a cousin of Kaelani Adams, and Chloe Spaulding is Meyer’s housesitter.
That bond beyond the volleyball court between the coaching staff and the Rams seniors has been a key component of North Thurston’s historic stretch in the past four years. North Thurston celebrated all seven of its seniors — Abby Losey, Kaelani Adams, Chloe Spaulding, Jaeda Cruz, Ava Almonte, Kelci Teo and Audrey Krocker — on senior night Tuesday, Nov. 3.
“It takes a long time to build a championship program. They’re a big part of that. They came behind a group that set the tone for them, and a lot of them have seen what it’s like to win,” Meyer said. “It’s hard to lose this group. I’ve known a lot of them since they were little kids. This is my last group that I’ve known for a super long time. It’s been fun to watch them grow up.”
Unfortunately for the Rams, the pregame recognition and postgame celebration were bookended by the team’s first loss in three sets since the season opener of the 2024 campaign, as Lakes swept North Thurston 25-17, 25-14, 26-24, in the penultimate game of the regular season.
Lakes’ front row asserted its dominance from the opening serve, getting hands on attacks by Losey and Adams in a high-energy first set that saw frequent long rallies. The Lancers defense forced the Rams out of system often, and their serves caused some chaos in the back row in a 25-17 first-set triumph in which they closed it out on a 5-0 run.
Lakes continued to dominate into the second set, as a 7-1 start prompted a North Thurston timeout. The Lancers built a 10-1 lead in the frame and led by as many as 12 in a 25-14 victory.
In the third set, Lakes took an early 11-6 lead before North Thurston came back to tie at 15-15. Losey’s go-ahead kill to give the Rams their first lead of the night at 18-17 created quite the crowd pop in the North Thurston stands. A Krocker block made it 21-20 Rams, and Adams tallied three kills in a row to fend off the Lancers for a brief moment, tying the set at 24-24. But Lakes scored the final two points to put the game away 26-24.
In her final home regular season match, Losey recorded 11 kills and eight digs, while Adams tallied nine kills, seven digs and four aces. Cruz led the Rams with 17 digs.
After the game, the seniors received one final set from a loved one, took home gifts from the coaches, and heard an emotional letter from Meyer packed full of life lessons.
“The one thing that people forget is you are part of these kids’ journey. You’re part of raising them, and it’s hard to let them go,” Meyer said. “It’s kind of like being a mom every year. That’s why I get really emotional. I wish they could all stay all the time.”
With the loss to Lakes, North Thurston (11-5, 7-3 Puget Sound League) falls to fourth in the Puget Sound League standings and third in the Nisqually Division with one final regular season game left on Thursday, Nov. 5 at Capital (8-8, 5-5 PSL).
“We have to find our mojo again. I want them to go out strong. They know how to win,” Meyer said. “They’ve been a part of a winning program. That’s what I’m looking forward to in the next couple of weeks.”
