Back in 2018 when Sweet Home was reassigned from the Sky-Em to the Oregon West through conference realignment, the Huskies were among the top volleyball programs in the state.
Philomath High had a pretty good program as well and started launching into fall competition by participating in a jamboree hosted by Huskies. And during the regular season, the matchups between the two schools possessed a high level of intensity.
Sweet Home beat Philomath nine straight times from 2018 to 2022, a stretch that included a win over the Warriors in the 4A semifinals in 2019 when the Huskies finished as the state runner-up. But the tide has turned in the series since the second meeting two years ago. The Warriors stopped the losing skid with a four-set victory and in 2023 followed with a five-set thriller and then another win in four sets.
Meeting for the first time this season Tuesday night to open league play, the Warriors (1-7 overall, 1-0 Oregon West) not only extended the win streak over the Huskies to four straight but broke into the win column for the first time this fall with a four-set victory, 25-21, 25-23, 26-28 and 25-19.
First-year coach Whitney Rasmussen was excited about how the team responded for its conference opener after a rough stretch in nonleague matches.
“The team worked really hard on playing fearlessly and staying positive,” Rasmussen said about the road win. “Our middle hitters stepped up today and showed tremendous blocking and defensive ability.”
Senior Ashleigh Brown, who played sparingly yet was effective during her limited time on the court in a five-set loss to Junction City last week, was back in the regular lineup against the Huskies (1-9, 0-1).
“It was great to have Brown back in the setting rotation and she and Avery (Smith) worked well together tonight to get the job done,” Rasmussen said. “It was a great team effort all around.”
Brown and Smith, a junior, had 23 and nine assists, respectively.
Sophomore Nora Stanley and junior Shaylee May were the team’s top hitters. Stanley finished with 16 hits and May had 12. At the net, senior Zoee Howard had five blocks and junior Taylor Hudson finished with three. And at the service line, May recorded five aces.
The two teams will meet again Oct. 10 in the PHS gym.
Philomath will try to make it two straight in the conference Thursday with a home match against Stayton. The Eagles (4-6, 0-1) dropped a three-set match Tuesday on its home floor against Cascade. The opening serve is scheduled for 6 p.m.
