When Enumclaw High’s volleyball squad beat visiting Capital of the Western Cascade Conference, it wasn’t important in the standings and it was just a nonleague encounter.

But the Hornets weren’t about to let the Cougars, who beat EHS in a preseason test in Olympia last season, out of Chuck Smith gymnasium with their hides intact. EHS won 25-19, 25-22, 23-25 and 25-23 Thursday evening.

“I am so glad the girls came to play tonight,” coach Jackie Carel said. “They had been kind of moping around in practice all week. I think they were getting kind of antsy to go up against some live competition and we sure got all we wanted against Capital because, preseason or not, they were playing their hearts out, too.”

Enumclaw junior setter Gina Sanders accrued 36 assists in the four-game match. Other girls helping out the cause were sophomore HayleeMae Dennis and 6-foot junior Katrina Ferguson with 11 kills apiece and senior libero Hayley Kohler, who registered 20 digs.

As of Monday, EHS had dropped exactly one match and that was to Southridge High in Yakima’s Sundome Invite.

Enumclaw hosted Bonney Lake Tuesday; results came too late to be included here but will be posted at www.courierherald.com. EHS’s next challenges will come at North Thurston Thursday and at Sumner Tuesday, both at 7:15 p.m.