Volleyball: CCS completes 40-0 season with NWAC championship

Tournament MVP Joelle Mahowald had 14 kills on sterling .591 hitting and CC Spokane completed a perfect season in sweeping Highline in three sets to win the NWAC volleyball championship on Sunday in Tacoma.

The Sasquatch finished with a 40-0 record by beating the Thunderbirds 25-16, 25-11, 25-15.

Alisha Straw added nine kills and 19 digs for CCS, which held the Thunderbirds to a 0.60 hitting percentage.

Besides Mahowald’s MVP honor, teammates Straw and Lindsey Russell were chosen to the all-tournament first team and Brooklyn Rainer to the second team.

Sasquatch coach Jenni Hull was named conference coach of the year.

“It was an unbelievable year with a great group of athletes who worked really hard and are unbelievably skilled,” Hull said in a NWAC online story.

Besides her 14 kills, Mahowald also led the Sasquatch with five block assists.

“I think (my performance) reflects best on this team,” Mahowald said. “I couldn’t do that without them, and with their support, I’m able to do those kinds of things.”

The last NWAC team to go undefeated and win the conference title was Chemeketa in 2008.

California 3, Washington State 1: Mima Mirkovic had 20 kills and the Golden Bears (15-14, 7-11 Pac-12) upset the 18th-ranked Cougars 25-21, 21-25, 25-19, 25-22 in Pullman.

Taylor Mims led the Cougars (19-9, 20-8) with 17 kills while Ashley Brown had 42 assists and Alexis Dirige 20 digs.