TOLEDO — It took the Rainier volleyball team “a bit to get warmed up” on Tuesday, but once the Mountaineers were rolling, they were tough to stop.
In a bounce back effort after a five-set loss to Napavine, the Mountaineers swiftly handed Toledo in three sets, 25-21, 25-16, 25-16 to get back in the win column and improve to 4-1.
Both teams were sluggish out of the gate, as sustained rallies were few and far between.
While the Mountaineer offense struggled early, the defense made things difficult for the Toledo (2-2) attack all night, consistently applying pressure and forcing mistakes at the net.
“We’ve worked really hard on our defense to make sure nothing hits the floor,” Rainier coach Carrie Ooms said. “We’ve got a big block. A lot of teams revert to tipping and pushing as opposed to hitting because of our block.”
As a result, the Mountaineers handled most balls that came over the net with ease, allowing them to get into a rhythm. After trailing 12-10 in the first set, the Mountaineers went on a 7-1 run, and they went on a separate 5-1 run later in the set before sealing the set.
From there, Rainier cruised, consistently holding on to the momentum with several scoring runs. They scored four straight points on five occasions in the final two sets, including an 8-0 run in the third set that put them up 18-8 and essentially iced the game.
Allyson Ooms led the way with 14 digs and nine kills, while Olivia Earsley added 12 digs and Brooklynn Swenson added 12 assists. Acacia Murphy tallied six kills and Lilly Johnson recorded four aces.
For Toledo, Lyndzie Filla had a game-high 22 digs, while Whitney Olson tallied 18 assists, 11 digs and two aces on a perfect night serving. Irys DeAguero had five kills and Stefani Arceo-Hansen had four.
While the Riverhawks are a senior-heavy team, they also have three eighth graders on the roster, and on Tuesday, Ellie Fallon was a key contributor. In addition to 18 digs and four kills, she recorded three blocks, each of which ignited the crowd and Toledo bench.
Now at .500, the Riverhawks will look to get back on track on Thursday at Morton-White Pass, while the Mountaineers will welcome Adna on the same day.
