Seniors night to shine
CUTLINES: Outside-hitter Sarah Kast bumps the ball late in the third game as her teammates gear up to celebrate the impending win. Kast finished the game with eight kills, 18 digs, and two blocks.<br>The Chiefs celebrate their victory after beating Eastmont in three games. The win capped off an emotional day for the Chiefs, which included the honoring of seven departing seniors. "It was a good ending to a long day," said Chiefs head coach Amy Utter.
Chiefs dominate Eastmont in three games
This was a match of belief and doubt.
Moses Lake believed they were going to win the match, and it was never in doubt.
The Chiefs dominated the Eastmont Wildcats in three games — 25-19, 25-17, 25-16 — on Senior Night in Moses Lake Thursday.
"We beat Eastmont before," said Chiefs head coach Amy Utter. "That's the belief thing we've been working on. They just believed they were going to win."
The match honored the seven Moses Lake seniors with an emotionally charged pregame ceremony. The Chiefs promply parlayed that energy onto the court.
"I think the crowd was huge," Utter said. "We had kids that didn't have matches tonight, like our freshman B team. And they show up with their uniform on and they are up there clapping and cheering and it makes a big difference to have that support."
In game one, Moses Lake jumped out to a 4-1 lead thanks to one of outside-hitter Sarah Kast's eight kills.
Eastmont knotted the game up at 6-6, but when senior Kimberlee Jacobsen ended a minute-long rally with a kill, the Chiefs never looked back.
"It seemed like we were always in the right spots tonight," Utter said, emphasizing senior Lisa Dodgen's 25 digs and 4 blocks at a key reason why Eastmont was never able to threaten a single game.
Games two and three were more of the same. Kast, Jacobsen and outside-hitter Brianne Roylance scored winners thanks to the play of setter Ashley Haight, who finished with 13 assists and five aces. Eastmont's kill attempts either went out of bounds or were dug out by Dodgen and libero Kelsey Padilla.
"It was a nice way to go out for the seniors," Utter said. "It meant a lot to them. I had a great time watching them."
For Utter, the match was proof of the talent level she has been describing since game one.
"I've said all along, we have a horrible record but we are a good volleyball team," she said. "We were just not winning. "
With the win, Moses Lake improves to 2-11 in league. They play their final game of the season against undefeated Eisenhower at home Saturday.