Big Bend fails to knock off division leader

MOSES LAKE - The Big Bend Community College Lady Vikings volleyball team fell in three games to the visiting Walla Walla Community College Lady Warriors Wednesday night in Moses Lake.

The Lady Vikings lost the first two games of the match by a combined seven points before falling in the third game by 12.

Big Bend lost 25-21, 25-22 and 25-13.

The loss to Walla Walla dropped Big Bend to 1-8 in the Northwest Athletic Association of Community Colleges' (NWAACC) East division.

The Lady Vikings fell to 6-17 overall.

Big Bend head volleyball coach Michael De Hoog said his team was sloppy Wednesday night.

"We made too many errors," he said. "It's kind of been our hurdle all year to minimize errors."

Walla Walla entered the match with a 7-1 NWAACC record and first place in the East division.

De Hoog said he team played well against the Lady Warriors during the match's first two games.

"We put ourselves in a decent position to win the match," he said. "We had opportunities and we let them get away."

De Hoog said if his team could have eliminated errors Wednesday night the outcome may have been in Big Bend's favor.

"We spotted them five points in the first game, and lost by four. We lost by three in the second game and we spotted them five points." he said. "They aren't making the errors that we are."

The Lady Vikings had their opportunities in the first two games of the match.

In the end, Big Bend didn't perform to De Hoog's expectations.

"We didn't play our best match of the season," he said. "We aren't consistent enough."

With the loss to Walla Walla, De Hoog said his team's postseason aspirations are gone.

"The playoffs are out of the picture," he said. "(We need to) try to make it the best experience we can playing the spoiler. Maybe we can frustrate some people."

The Lady Vikings return to action Friday night when they travel to Yakima Valley Community College to take on the Lady Yaks.

Big Bend defeated the Lady Yaks in four games on Sept. 24 at Big Bend Community College.

The Lady Vikings' next home match is Oct. 29 when Big Bend hosts the Community Colleges of Spokane Sasquatch. Game time is scheduled for 6 p.m.