Moses Lake overpowered

MOSES LAKE — The Lady Chiefs fell to Walla Walla in three games during their home opener Tuesday.

After a slow start in game one, Moses Lake put together a rally to take a big lead in game two.

Walla Walla opened game two with a 4-0 serving streak before being shut down by Amanda Hickman to give serve to the Lady Chiefs.

A quick sideout returned serve to the Lady Blue Devils who, again, were stopped by Hickman.

Looking at a 5-2 deficit, Moses Lake's Taisha Haines served an ace to begin her trip behind the line. She earned one more point before giving up serve to Walla Walla.

Hickman made it a tie game at 7-7 before suffering a sideout for the Lady Chiefs. Walla Walla could not maintain possession and serve was turned over to Jhenesis Garza who gave her team a 3-point advantage after serving two consecutive points and an ace before siding out.

Moses Lake continued to distance themselves from the Lady Blue Devils, extending the lead to as many as five with serving from Shayla May to make it 16-11.

It was the last big scoring run the Lady Chiefs would record for the night. Walla Walla battled back to within two at 19-21 before siding out to Moses Lake but the Lady Chiefs could not earn a point on serve and returned possession to the Lady Blue Devils.

Walla Walla tied the game at 23-23 on an ace and then pulled ahead by one point before a tip from Haines gave Moses Lake an opportunity to close out the game.

With the score tied at 24, Moses Lake could not find a rhythm and sided out to Walla Walla. The Lady Blue Devils took the chance and won the game 26-24.

"Volleyball is such a game of momentum," said Moses Lake head coach Amy Utter. "And you have to be able to withstand scoring runs."

In game one, Moses Lake fell behind 7-3 after an opening sideout followed by two others.

Midway through the game, Rebecca Madrishin scored four points to tie the game at 9-9 before Moses Lake sided out to give up serve.

Walla Walla then scored three more points to make it 13-9. The Lady Blue Devils closed out the game with an ace to win 25-14.

"There are individuals who are improving in practice every day," Utter said. "Now they need to pull together as a team and play for each other, not just with each other."

In the night's final game, the Lady Chiefs found themselves behind 11-4 before a sideout gave them their fifth point.

Moses Lake chipped at the 7-point margin but Walla Walla was able to extend it to 10 points near the end of the game.

Morgan Yearout came in to serve three consecutive points. Her first serve of the possession was an ace and pulled Moses Lake back within six before suffering a sideout at 20-14.

The Lady Blue Devils managed to expand the point margin to 24-14 before returning serve to Moses Lake.

The Lady Chiefs continued to battle, scoring three points before conceeding the side and giving Walla Walla the winning point on a sideout.

"We didn't pass very well tonight and that's a first for this team," said Utter. "(Tomorrow) we're going to pass and pass and when we're done with that we're going to pass."

Moses Lake will spend Wednesday preparing to face off against Eisenhower Thursday in Yakima.

During Tuesday's game May had 13 assists and 12 digs, Hickman had 11 kills, Brianne Roylance had six kills and Garza had five kills.