Calvin Jensen, Sports Information Director, Utah State Eastern
Photo courtesy of Dallin Grant
Before an energetic home crowd, the nationally ranked USU Eastern volleyball team secured the top spot in the conference standings, officially claiming the title of Scenic West Athletic Conference Champions. The Lady Eagles remain undefeated in conference play after victories over North Idaho College and the College of Southern Idaho inside the BDAC. The wins bring their season record to 19-5 and 8-0 in Scenic West play. The squad also added to their impressive win streak, defeating their last eleven opponents, dropping only two sets in thirty-four played.
It was a team effort for USU Eastern on Friday night as they defeated the Cardinals of North Idaho College with set scores of 25-14, 25-20, and 25-13.
Rachel West led Utah State Eastern’s attack with eight kills, hitting an impressive .500, while Emilia Zug followed closely with eight kills and a .375 hitting percentage.
Setter Agata Makowska effectively distributed the ball, logging 15 assists and one service ace, keeping the Cardinal’s defense on its heels. Makowska’s connections with her hitters helped Utah State Eastern maintain a steady offensive pace. The team collectively recorded a solid .209 hitting percentage over the three sets, surging especially in the third set, where they achieved a .323 percentage.
Defensively, Utah State Eastern’s blocking made a significant impact. The team tallied 16 block assists, with Rachel West and Clara Philipsson each contributing multiple block assists, stifling NIC’s attack, which ended with a hitting percentage of -.080. Additionally, setter Bird Allen led defensively with seven digs and added 11 assists, providing stability in the back row that limited North Idaho’s offensive opportunities.
On Saturday, Eastern continued their home dominance with a crucial victory over College of Southern Idaho, claiming set scores of 25-6, 25-14, 22-25, and 25-14. The Eagles displayed an efficient offense, led by Agata Zwierzynska, who tallied 15 kills with an incredible .577 hitting percentage, and Audrey Atwood, who contributed another 15 kills while hitting .333.
Setter Agata Makowska was instrumental in orchestrating the offense, racking up 26 assists and two service aces, helping Eastern maintain a .309 hitting percentage. USU Eastern’s serving was on point recording a total of 11 aces, with Atwood leading the way with four. Strong serving runs were a key factor in their dominant first and fourth sets, where they held College of Southern Idaho to just 6 and 14 points, respectively.
Defensively, the Eagles’ front row put up a wall, with Rachel West and Clara Philipsson combining for seven blocks.
Utah State Eastern also excelled in the back row, with Marli Pearson anchoring the defense with 15 digs, while Bird Allen added 10 digs and 8 assists in the game.
The work is not over for the Lady Eagles as they hit the road for their final two games of the regular season. They will look to remain undefeated and defend their national ranking on Friday, November 1 against No. 11 Salt Lake Community College. The first serve is set for 6:00 p.m. in Taylorsville, Utah.