The Eastern Washington University volleyball team secured a crucial road victory on Saturday night, defeating in-state rival Idaho in a hard-fought four-set match. The Eagles won by scores of 25-22, 27-29, 27-25, and 25-21 at Memorial Gym in Moscow, Idaho. This win improves Eastern Washington’s record to 10-16 overall and 4-10 in Big Sky Conference play.
The Eagles’ balanced offensive attack and strong defensive blocking were key to securing the victory. Head coach Jon Haruguchi praised his team’s resilience and effort in a high-pressure situation. “Very happy with how we battled tonight,” Haruguchi said. “It was a complete team effort and we have to be pleased with the response. The pressure at this point in the season is immense and I’m glad we got this one.”
Key Performances Lead to Road Win
Eastern Washington was led by a trio of players who made significant contributions across the match. Aspyn Reed recorded a team-high 16 kills while maintaining a .294 hitting percentage. Carlyn Rapozo-Kamoku also had a strong all-around performance, tallying 15 kills and 10 digs. Bria Carlisle was highly efficient offensively, recording 11 kills on a team-best .417 hitting percentage and adding three block assists.
Jailyn Davenport directed the Eagles’ offense, accumulating 46 assists, 12 digs, and five kills. Elle Bruegman was a defensive anchor, recording a team-high 19 digs. The Eagles’ front was a formidable force, as Sidney Gray and Judith Bolomboy each contributed five total blocks. The team finished with 13 blocks in total and 58 kills for the match, hitting .229 as a unit.
Set-by-Set Breakdown
The Eagles opened the match with a 25-22 win in the first set. After a back-and-forth start, Eastern built an 18-13 advantage thanks to kills from Bolomboy and a service ace from Reese Betschart. Idaho cut the deficit to 23-22, but Carlisle delivered a crucial kill to secure set point, which Reed closed out with another kill.
The second set was a battle, featuring 14 ties and eight lead changes. Eastern built an early 11-7 lead before Idaho rallied to take the late advantage. The Eagles fought back, saving multiple set points, and Rapozo-Kamoku gave Eastern a 26-25 lead with a kill. However, Idaho responded to win the set 29-27, tying the match at 1-1.
The Eagles responded with their best offensive set of the night in the third frame. They recorded 19 kills on a .333 hitting percentage to win 27-25. Rapozo-Kamoku was exceptional in the set, notching 10 kills on 14 attacks with no errors for a .714 hitting percentage. After Idaho tied the set at 21-21, Rapozo-Kamoku delivered back-to-back kills to give Eastern a 26-25 lead. Sidney Gray followed with a solo block to secure the set and a 2-1 match advantage.
Carrying the momentum into the fourth set, the Eagles closed out the match with a 25-21 victory. After trailing 9-7, Eastern used a 4-0 run to take an 11-9 lead, fueled by a kill from Bolomboy, a service ace from Bruegman, and a block from Carlisle and Bolomboy. Idaho tied the score at 19-19, but the Eagles regained control with timely plays from Carlisle and Reed. Reed’s crucial kill put Eastern ahead 23-21 before Bolomboy’s solo block brought up match point. Betschart sealed the victory with a service ace.
What’s Next for the Eagles
With this important conference victory, Eastern Washington returns home to Reese Court for the final stretch of its Big Sky Conference schedule.
The Eastern Washington University Athletics department sponsors 14 intercollegiate sports as part of its NCAA Division I commitment and membership in the Big Sky Conference.
