Improving to 11-0 for the season and matching its 2002 and 2009 seasons for the second-best start in program history, the WSU volleyball team swept Idaho 3-0 (25-22, 25-20, 25-17) last night in front of more than 1,200 people in Bohler Gym.

The best start in program history belongs to the 1997 team, who began their season 16-0 and featured current Head Coach Jen Greeny and assistant coach Shannon Hunt as players.

“I thought Idaho did a great job,” Greeny said. “Their outside hitters performed very well and we had trouble slowing them down. But our hitters did a pretty good job as well and I thought really our serving tonight was great.”

The sweep was WSU’s fifth in a row, which started at the Cougar Challenge final match against South Dakota.

Freshman outside hitter Kyra Holt led the Cougars against Idaho with 13 kills, followed by freshman Emmy Allen with 10. Also contributing to the team’s 48 kills were Ver’Leea Hardaway (9), Jaicee Harris (7), Marcelina Glab (5) and Camryn Irwin (4).

“I think that my performance was okay,” Holt said. “It could have been a lot better…but we’ll work on it for next game.”

Irwin tallied 35 kills in the match, pushing her into fourth on the Cougar all-time career assists list.

At this time last year the Cougars were 9-2 with one loss to Idaho. This season the Cougars have yet to lose a match and are two wins away from an undefeated nonconference slate.

 “The program the last two years has been rebuilding, and I think this is a testament to how wonderful the coaches have done bringing in girls, and the girls we’ve had here are just phenomenal, so I couldn’t be happier,” Irwin said.

The Cougars out-hit Idaho .270 to .175, but the Vandals out-blocked them 8-6.

The Cougars take on Seattle and Nevada today at 11 a.m. and 7 p.m. respectively to finish up the Cougar Invitational.