COLLEGE PLACE, Wash. – Eastern Oregon's No.2 ranked Volleyball opened the final weekend of Cascade Collegiate Conference play with a straight-set victory over Walla Walla University (25-17, 25-18, 25-17) Friday afternoon.
Eastern Oregon opened the match with an early 2-0 advantage behind a pair of defensive plays, including a block from
Brooke Womack and
Mylie Mills. Walla Walla responded to even the score at 2-2, but the Mountaineers quickly regained control with a pair of Walla Walla attack errors and a
Kate Stidham block to build a 6-3 lead. The teams traded points through the middle of the set before the Wolves pulled even at 9-9 following a pair of EOU attack errors. The Mountaineers began to create separation from there, capitalizing on additional Walla Walla errors while Stidham added a service ace and Mills and
Keira Vaughn delivered back-to-back kills to extend the advantage to 14-10.
Walla Walla managed to pull within 16-14, but EOU responded with a decisive 6-1 run to take a 22-15 lead.
Ava Semprimoznik and
Jule Whitley contributed kills during the stretch, while the Mountaineer defense continued to force errors. EOU maintained its advantage through the closing points, with Stidham and
Akylah Kaino delivering kills to secure the opening set, 25-17.
The second set featured an early push from Walla Walla, as they jumped ahead 4-1. Eastern Oregon responded with a run of its own, using kills from Womack and Stidham, along with Walla Walla attack errors, to even the score at 5-5. The teams continued trading points before Semprimoznik delivered a service ace to tie the set at 7-7. The Mountaineers gradually found their rhythm, with Vaughn, Kaino, and Mills contributing kills to help build an 11-9 advantage.
Walla Walla stayed within striking distance, eventually tying the set at 13-13. Eastern Oregon answered with a key stretch of offense and defense, highlighted by a
Sidney Friesen service ace, a block from
Olivia Chilton and
Stella Koch, and another ace from
Jaycee Villastrigo to push the lead to 18-14. Semprimoznik then took over from the service line, recording back-to-back aces to extend the advantage to 21-15. After Walla Walla cut the deficit to 21-18, EOU closed the set with four consecutive points, including back-to-back kills from Vaughn, to take the second set, 25-18.
The Mountaineers carried that momentum into the third set, opening with a Womack kill and a block from Chilton to take an early 2-0 lead. Walla Walla responded with a run to move ahead 6-3, but EOU battled back to tie the set at 7-7 behind a Semprimoznik service ace and a block from
Ava Swan and Whitley. The Wolves again created some separation, building an 11-8 advantage, before the Mountaineers put together their strongest stretch of the set.
A
Brooklyn Willard service ace and a Vaughn kill helped EOU even the score at 11-11, before Whitley added another kill to put the Mountaineers back in front. Womack followed with a kill, and a block from Womack and Mills extended the lead to 14-12.
Madison Vaughn then kept the pressure on from the service line, recording two aces while Mills and Womack added consecutive kills to cap the Mountaineers' surge and build a 19-12 advantage. Walla Walla attempted to respond, but EOU maintained control through the final points. Whitley added a late kill, and Semprimoznik closed out the match with her fifth service ace, securing the 25-17 set victory and completing the sweep.
Vaughn led the Mountaineers offensively with 10 kills and six digs, while Womack followed with nine kills, 10 digs, and two block assists. Mills contributed five kills and three total blocks, while Stidham paced the offense with 23 assists and added nine digs. Semprimoznik made a major impact from the service line, finishing with a match-high five aces to go along with eight assists. Villastrigo led the defensive effort with 12 digs.
The Mountaineers hit .243 as a team while holding Walla Walla to a .091 attack percentage. EOU also held a significant advantage from the service line, finishing with 11 aces compared to just three for the Wolves.
The Mountaineers will close out the regular season Saturday, Nov. 7, against Lewis-Clark State in Lewiston, Idaho. First serve is scheduled for 4 p.m. as EOU wraps up the final weekend of conference play.
