ILWACO — Firm Foundation star Katie Kogler put on a show against Ilwaco, leading the Eagles to a 25-16, 20-25, 25-10, 25-15 victory Wednesday, Sept. 26.

The six-foot Columbia Valley League MVP offered some of the best velocity Ilwaco will see all year, crushing undiggable shots down into gaps or smashing the ball right off defenders’ hands at close range in a 30-dig performance.

Still, Ilwaco picked up the second set a set against the 1B District IV champs. Three straight aces by Sophia Marsh and a pair of clever kills by setter Jaymie Patana helped Ilwaco build a 16-8 lead. Kogler led a 10-3 Eagles run. But a hard kill by Alayna Marsh put Ilwaco up 23-20, and Firm Foundation missed long with hits on the next two points to give the game to Ilwaco, tying the match at one.

The Eagles started doing a better job getting Kogler the ball. But Ilwaco managed a few big moments against her. Down 18-3 in the third set, Kylie Gray got a kill through Kogler’s block attempt, starting a 6-3 Fishermen run. Sophia Marsh managed a spike against her. During one particularly dominant stretch, in which Kogler had seven kills during a 7-2 Eagles run, Marsh got her shot over Kogler’s hands but somehow got it to arc down in-bounds for a kill.

On the night, Kogler had kills on the majority of her hit attempts, 30 of 57, with only four errors.

Willapa Valley 3, Ilwaco 0

MENLO — Willapa Valley beat Ilwaco 25-12, 25-18, 25-19 Thursday, Sept. 26. Ilwaco fell to 2-2, while Valley improved to 4-1. The contest between two Pacific League opponents was nonetheless part of the non-league schedule for both teams.

Ilwaco visits Chief Leschi on Thursday at 7 p.m., then hosts North Beach Tuesday, Oct. 8 at 7 p.m.