Big Bend volleyball runs out of momentum in 3-1 loss to Yakima Valley

MOSES LAKE — The Vikings had a little momentum going their way, winning the second set of Wednesday's NWAC East volleyball match at DeVries Activity Center to even the match with Yakima Valley (10-21, 3-7 NWAC East).

They just didn't seem to have another gear to get over the top and ended up falling to the Yaks in four sets 25-23, 18-25, 25-19, 25-17. There's still some volleyball left in the regular season. Big Bend (7-20, 4-6 NWAC East) sits in sixth place in the NWAC East and has Treasure Valley (13-13, 5-5), North Idaho (19-9, 7-3), Walla Walla (27-5, 8-2) and Wenatchee Valley (10-20, 1-10) remaining on the October schedule. They wrap up the regular season with Blue Mountain (20-6, 7-2) at home Nov. 2.

But it's tick tock if the Vikings want to climb a couple of spots to qualify for the NWAC Tournament. Time is running out on a program that's turned things around.

“We didn't have a lot of intensity tonight. We were very reactive instead of proactive,” Vikings coach Michael De Hoog said. “We had some good moments, we just didn't build on it and Yakima came in and beat us on our own floor.

“We needed tonight. We need Friday (Treasure Valley) and we need next Wednesday (North Idaho). Those are the big three I'm really counting on and we let one slip away tonight.”

The Yaks rolled into town in the No. 7 slot, setting up a perfect scenario for No. 6 Big Bend to make its charge toward a tournament berth. Even though the Yaks won the first set 25-23, the Vikings were right there. Big Bend evened the match at 1-1 with a commanding 25-18, but never jumped on the chance to beat a team they had beaten previously.

“We've been successful against them and we knew what we needed to do to beat them,” said sophomore Hailey Miller from Ephrata. “They took advantage of the momentum when it swung their way.”

Sadie Nielsen of Moses Lake finished with a team-high nine kills and one block. The Vikings weren't dominating at the net, but they did get a piece of most balls and soften the Yak attack. Sophomore Ryana Recustodio had eight kills, one solo block and an assist on another. Payson Griner, a 5-foot-11 middle from Palouse, had a block to go along with eight kills and sophomore JoAndra Wilson added three block assists and a solo.

“We had our good points and we had our bad points,” Wilson said. “It was up and down. There wasn't anything in the third set where they really took off. We just needed to pick our heads up, that was about it.”

Vikings setter Martina Wilder finished with 23 assists and Ashlee Adams, a 5-7 libero from Firth, Idaho, had 21 digs.

The Vikings travel to Ontario, Ore., to face Treasure Valley on Friday.