Yakima Valley Tops Columbia Basin in Five Sets
Yakima Valley improved to 14-0 in NWAC East play after a five-set win over Columbia Basin.
Updated on Nov. 7, 2026 in Volleyball
Yakima Valley volleyball defeated Columbia Basin 26-24, 25-11, 23-25, 14-25, 15-9 on Friday at Columbia Basin, erasing an early five-point deficit in the first set. The win made Yakima Valley the first NWAC East team to go unbeaten in conference play since 2023.
Why it matters
The victory keeps Yakima Valley atop the NWAC East standings with a perfect conference record, and the team has not won the NWAC East since 1990. The result positions the Yakima Valley program for a home regional next weekend.
Lauren Chamberlain recorded 13 kills and Joely Tornow added 10 kills on a .267 hitting percentage, while Malia Wheeler and Aydyn Anderson combined for 41 assists. Alivia Colbert led the defense with 14 digs and six kills, though the match's full statistical breakdown beyond these leaders was not provided.
The players
Yakima Valley volleyball
The Yakima Valley Pirates volleyball program competes in the NWAC East and is currently the conference's only unbeaten team.
Columbia Basin volleyball
The Columbia Basin Hawks volleyball program is based in Pasco, Washington, and hosted this conference matchup.
Lauren Chamberlain
Chamberlain, a Yakima Valley hitter, led the team with 13 kills in the victory.
Joely Tornow
Tornow, a Yakima Valley hitter, recorded 10 kills on a .267 hitting percentage.
Alivia Colbert
Colbert, a Yakima Valley defensive player, recorded 14 digs and six kills.
The details
Yakima Valley lost a two-set lead and fell behind 5-2 in the fifth set before winning eight of the last nine points, with six straight points served by Emilee Nelson-Hawkins, to close out the 15-9 decisive set. The team's comeback in the first set erased an early five-point deficit.
Timeline
Friday: Yakima Valley defeated Columbia Basin at Columbia Basin.
Next weekend: Yakima Valley hosts a four-team NWAC regional.
Nov. 20-22: The Elite 8 is held at Columbia Basin.
Season Trajectory
Yakima Valley's unbeaten start in NWAC East play marks the first time a team in the conference has done so since 2023, setting up a regional tournament that will decide who advances to the Elite 8. The program has not won the NWAC East title since 1990, so the perfect conference record places it in a strong position heading into the postseason.
Yakima Valley's perfect NWAC East record gives it the inside track to a conference regional hosting, which means local fans can plan to attend home matches next weekend. Fantasy and recruiting observers tracking the program's leading hitters, Chamberlain and Tornow, will have a clear set of results to follow through the postseason.
The takeaway
Yakima Valley's win shows that a deficit can be overcome in a long match, as the team rallied from a two-set lead loss to close out the fifth set. Fans following the team should watch the regional next weekend, where the top two finishers earn a trip to the Elite 8.
What happens next
Yakima Valley hosts a four-team NWAC regional next weekend, with the top two teams advancing to the Elite 8 at Columbia Basin on Nov. 20-22.
Further reading
For more coverage of college sports across the region, see the Volleyball section.
