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TENINO — Toledo played a match in a jamboree late last week, but Wednesday’s matchup in Tenino was the Riverhawks first official game of the season.
When they scored the first four points of the match on Wednesday, their zeal to start the season strong was clear to see.
“They’re excited to play,” Toledo coach Kelli Larson said. “And they’re just really playing well together. That’s what's fun to see.”
That early energy helped the Riverhawks build a big early lead, and they never looked back in a 25-11, 25-15, 25-16 sweep over the Beavers.
“I think a big part of it is confidence,” Larson said. “And that helps build that confidence.”
After taking a 4-0 lead in Set 1, the Riverhawks extended their lead to five before Tenino took its first timeout of the set. After the timeout, Toledo went on an 8-1 run to push its lead to 12 and force another Beaver timeout.
The final two sets had similar runs. Toledo scored 10 of the final 11 points in the set to take a commanding 2-0 lead before a 13-3 run pushed a two-point lead to a 12-point lead late in the third.
Offensively, the Riverhawks (1-0) were relentless.
Ellie Fallon and Taysia Miller both tallied six aces, while Abby Umbriaco logged four. Lexi Young led the team with eight kills and a .250 hit efficiency percentage, while Miller added six kills with a .364 hit efficiency percentage. Umbriaco finished with five kills, and Fallon added four.
“I really like how they’re more aggressive on their serves and placing them well,” Larson said. “The same goes for their hits. They’re mixing up the sets, and I feel like it puts the defense a little off balance. We’re getting quicker in our offense, and I feel like they’re in more control of where they are placing the ball.”
The positive early returns are a welcome sign for a sophomore-heavy core that is hoping to take the next step after finishing seventh in the C2BL last fall.
“That’s, I think, a big part of what makes them successful,” Larson said. They’ve been together for years and years, so they kind of know how each other works. As they get the skills up, it all comes together.”
On the other side, Tenino coach Shauna Carpenter was understandably frustrated.
Through three games, the results for the Beavers have been inconsistent, but the slow starts haven’t been. They started slow in their first two games as well, though they were able to overcome it and sweep Eatonville on Tuesday.
“They came out and played flat,” Carpenter said. “I guess they probably played between their ears instead of on the court. Super frustrating, to say the least. We got some soul searching to do.”
Katen Burkhardt finished with five kills, four assists, three digs, and a block, and Carpenter added that a rotation change may be in order to help Burkhardt be in a better position more consistently.
“We’re trying to not build the team around her, because it takes all six,” Carpenter said. “But we’re trying to get her in the best spot that is most beneficial to the team.”
Sequoia Zimmer went 11 for 11 from the service line while adding four assists and three digs, while Jaeleen Woodward also went perfect from the line, going 13 for 13 with four digs and an ace. Violet Zimmer added three kills and a dig.
Tenino (1-2) won’t have to wait long to try and bounce back, as they’ll head to Shelton on Thursday. It’ll be the Beavers fourth straight day playing to open the year.
“Four games in a row is tough,” Carpenter said. “And that's part of the other thing. We haven’t had time in between.”
Toledo (1-0) will be on the road again on Saturday facing Hoquiam before returning home on Monday to face Columbia Adventist in its home opener.
