CHENEY, Wash.—The Vandals got back to their winning ways, breaking a three-match slump on Saturday night. Idaho controlled the match from the start, defeating Eastern Washington in three sets at Reece Court.

Sarah Sharp led the Vandals with 12 kills. She totaled four in the first set, helping her pass 800 for her career. DeVonne Ryter and Kaela Straw each ended the night with eight kills. Ryter continued to have a hot hand in conference play, hitting .545 percent on the attack.

Idaho (13-10, 8-4 BSC) was able to hold EWU to under .100 percent hitting. The Vandals out-hit the Eagles .330 percent to .084 percent. The Vandals were strong at the net throughout the match, totaling nine team blocks. The team's service game was much improved from recent matches, totaling nine aces on the night.

The Vandals came out firing in the first. Idaho totaled 13 kills and a .600 attack percentage in the opening frame. An ace from Ryter closed out a 6-0 run that pushed Idaho's lead to 12-5. Idaho was aggressive from the service line in the set, totaling four aces. A Klaree Hobart ace helped the Vandals in the midst of a 7-1 run, extending the Vandal lead to 20-8. Straw closed out the frame for the Vandals with her third kill of the night, 25-11.

"I was proud of our girls," head coach Debbie Buchanan explained. "I do think we came out strong in that first set. I was really hoping that we were going to be able to sustain that and keep the pressure on. Eastern kept fighting back. The fact that we were able to stick in it and make some big plays at the end to finish was huge for our team right now."

Idaho's hot hand got slowed down in the second set. The team hit .216 percent but was able to keep EWU at a distance holding the Eagles to .000 percent. A 3-0 run for Idaho put the Vandals up 8-4 early in the set. Eastern got back to within three points, 12-9, with a 3-0 run of its own. The Eagles made Idaho fight in the set, using a 6-0 push to take a 17-16 lead. Two services aces from Ryter and Maura Donovan helped fuel a 9-1 run to end the set, 25-18.

EWU (6-15, 3-9 BSC) did not go quietly in the third. The Eagles got out in front with a quick 7-2 start to the set. Idaho chipped away, using a 3-0 run to get back within one, 11-10. An ace by Alycia Wodke tied the set at 12, but EWU continued on with the lead, opening a 17-14 advantage. Ryter tied the set for Idaho at 20 and again at 23, giving Idaho back the serve. An ace from Sharp put Idaho at match point, 24-23. Kills from Ryter and Torrin Crawford capped off the set, giving Idaho the 26-24 2win.

"We ran out of subs, that is how long it went," Buchanan added. "We had Sarah serve and she definitely has one of the tougher serves for us. We do not use her very often but for her to stick in there I think was huge for her confidence."

Crawford led Idaho with seven total blocks to go with her six kills and .545 attack percentage. Delaney Hopen led Idaho with nine digs and Haylee Mathis handed out 29 assists.

The sweep was Idaho's eighth of the season. It is the most Idaho has had since recording nine in 2014.

Idaho is back home next week with a pair of north division battles. Idaho opens with Northern Colorado on Thursday and closes out the home schedule with North Dakota on Saturday.