A competitive preseason schedule seems to have prepared the Yakima Valley volleyball team well for conference play. The Yaks traveled to Spokane last Friday for their NWAC East opener and swept aside the Sasquatch 26-24, 25-21, 25-18, earning their fourth win in the past six matches.
 

Ava Swan led the way with 15 kills and 13 digs, and Lauren Chamberlain added 10 kills and 12 digs as YVC avenged a 3-1 loss to Spokane in early September. Setter Joleen Jaeger also delivered 24 assists, helping the Yaks post a .212 kill percentage. The offense was buoyed by seven kills from Sienna Black and 10 assists from Malia Wheeler. Kamree Mills chipped in 11 digs, helping YVC improve to 1-0 in NWAC East play (13-7 overall).
 

Two days prior, the Yaks traveled to Pierce for their final preseason contest, claiming a 25-20, 25-20, 25-16 victory. Ailianna Quaempts and Chamberlain each threw down eight kills to lead the attack. Swan added six kills and Jaeger recorded 21 assists as YVC finished with a .224 kill percentage. Keegan Fernandez and Wheeler tied for the team lead with 14 digs, and Chamberlain contributed nine. Wheeler also had six assists, while Lofi Talia, Mikayla Christensen, Addison Berrett and Black helped the cause with three kills apiece. 
 

YVC hosts Big Bend on Wednesday, followed by a road matchup with Walla Walla on Saturday.