Eagles Roll Past Weber, Into Big Sky Showdown

Kim Exner set a school record for career kills, and recorded her first triple-double as Eastern Washington defeated Weber State 15-9, 15-5, 14-16, 15-11 in a Big Sky Conference volleyball match Thursday at Ogden, Utah.

Exner had 21 kills to give her 1,231 for her career. Kellie Glaus (1992-95) held the record with 1,217.

Exner added 11 blocks and 10 digs as the Eagles (20-3, 11-1) won their seventh consecutive match since losing to Sacramento State on Oct. 9. EWU plays at second-place Sac State (10-3) on Saturday.

Lacey Coover added 18 digs and 13 kills, and Lynn Robison 12 kills and 12 digs for EWU. JoLynne Godfrey led the Wildcats (11-15, 3-10) with 27 kills and 18 digs.

Top-ranked Long Beach State made short work of Idaho, sweeping the Vandals 15-7, 15-2, 15-7 in a Big West Conference match at Long Beach, Calif.

The 49ers (22-1 overall, 13-0 Big West Western Division) hit .357 for the match, including .476 in the final game, and needed barely an hour to complete the match.

Long Beach’s Nique Crump, the national leader in attack percentage, had nine kills and six blocks. Backup setter Dana Builteman added 18 assists for Long Beach, ranked No. 1 in the USA Today/AVCA coaches poll.

Alli Nieman totaled five kills and hit .500, Anna Reznicek had 17 assists, and Kelly Holzer added seven digs for the Vandals (14-12, 8-5 Big West Eastern Division). Idaho, which hit a season-low .022, had never played a top-ranked team.

The Vandals remained tied for first in the East with Boise State, which visits Moscow on Saturday.

Brandy Barratt, out of Gonzaga Prep, didn’t play for the 49ers.

Prep volleyball

Defending State B champion Davenport and Panorama League champion Northwest Christian won twice at the District 7-B Tournament at Cheney High and qualified for next week’s State B Tournament.

Davenport opened with a 15-5, 15-1 win over Springdale, then held off Wilbur-Creston 15-11, 15-13. NWC topped Reardan 15-10, 17-15, then overcame Bi-County League co-champion Ritzville 15-3, 13-15, 15-1.

Davenport will make its eighth trip to state, NWC its second. NWC becomes the third Panorama team to play at state since the tourney began in 1977.

The Davenport/NWC district title match is set for 4:30 p.m. Saturday, also at Cheney High. The day will open with loser-out matches between Ritzville and Selkirk, and W-C and Reardan. Those winners qualify for state and will play for seeding at 5:45.

Northport and Springdale were eliminated after Thursday’s play. , DataTimes