Lone senior Sareena Simpson prepares to pass during EOU's 3-0 win over Northwest University. Before the match Simpson was honored on senior night.
Mounties Shoot Down Eagles in Three
Isaac
LA GRANDE, Ore. – On a night that was meant to be a celebration of EOU volleyball’s lone senior Sareena Simpson the Mounties did just that when they knocked off Northwest University 3-0 (25-21, 25-20, 25-10).
In the first set both teams held leads. Eastern started the match on an 8-3 run but the Eagles reeled off seven unanswered to take the lead at 10-8. Tied at 15 a piece Northwest called its second timeout. On the first play after the break former High School teammates Jessica Lea and Grace Deboodt hooked up on a dazzling Assist and Kill that seemed to give Eastern the momentum. The Mounties finished the first up 25-21.
The second game was another dog fight as the two teams went back and forth trading points. While the Eagles did not ever hold a lead in the game they threatened throughout. The Mountaineer lead fluctuated between two and five points most of the time with Eastern winning the second 25-20.
The third and final game was highlighted by a thunderous Deboodt Kill that caromed off a Northwest player and landed several rows into the bleachers. The point gave EOU an 8-1 lead which helped carry them to a decisive 25-10 (3-0) win.
Deboodt led all players with 14 Kills the junior from Prineville, Oregon also added 8 Digs. Lea tallied a game-high 22 assists.
On senior night Sareena Simpson finished with 10 Digs, freshman Melanie Ceciliani also pitched in with 10 of her own.
The Mounties will host I-84 rival College of Idaho Tuesday night in the last regular season home game of 2008. Gametime is set for 7:00 pm P.S.T.