SALEM, Ore. – Senior Rachel Gowen (Oregon City, Ore.) and freshman Tiffany Land (Independence, Ore.) registered a team-high six kills each, but Corban's women's volleyball team fell to the nationally-ranked Red Raiders of Southern Oregon, 3-0 (20-25, 21-25, 21-25), Friday night inside the C.E. Jeffers Sports Center.
With a mere two matches remaining in the regular season, Corban took the court knowing that an upset victory would propel the Warriors into a potential tie for fifth place with conference rival Concordia. Unfortunately, Corban ran into a tough Raider squad that swept the Warriors in three sets to keep its tight hold on the upcoming conference tournament's No. 2-seed.
In the opening set, Corban jumped out to a 3-1 lead on the serving arms of juniors Amy Thompson (Oregon City, Ore.) and Andrea Potloff (Aumsville, Ore.). Southern Oregon then used a 12-6 run to take a five-point lead (13-8) following a kill by Lindsey Stone. The Warriors would battle back to within a mere point (16-15) following a 5-0 run that was capped off with a Red Raider hitting error. Southern Oregon closed out the opening set via a 9-5 run that was capitalized by a set-closing kill by SOU's Mia Wortel for the final score of 25-20.
In the second set, the Warriors pulled out to another 3-1 lead via a kill by seniors Rashelle Davenport (Kalama, Wash.) and Chelsea Reeher (Powell Butte, Ore.). After a 4-0 run by Southern Oregon that gave the Red Raiders a slim one-point lead (5-4), Corban used a 7-6 run to knot the set at 11-all. Both teams would battle over the next 16 combined points, as the score read 19-19 following an attacking error by Southern Oregon. A 2-0 run by Corban that saw Gowen register a kill to go along with a combo block by Gowen and Land would hand the Warriors a two-point lead (21-19) before Southern Oregon would close out the set via a 6-0 run (25-21).
In the third and final set, Corban jumped out to a four-point lead (5-1) behind the serving of Thompson and Potloff before Southern Oregon used an 8-0 run to pull ahead by four points (9-5). The Warriors would battle back via a 9-3 run to tie the score at 14-14 following back-to-back kills by Gowen. A third straight kill by Gowen would hand the Warriors a slim one-point lead (15-14) before Southern Oregon closed out the set and match via a 9-6 run that was capitalized by SOU's Samantha Yutzie's kill (25-21).
Along with Gowen and Land's team-high performance in kills, Davenport, Reeher, and sophomore Teri Braun (Dallas, Ore.) added four kills each. Thompson and freshman Megan Dees (Tehachapi, Calif.) combined to hand out 17 assists, as Thompson registered nine and Dees recorded eight. In the back row, sophomore libero Rebecca Franke (Pendleton, Ore.) and Thompson led Corban with 12 digs each. At the net, Gowen and Reeher recorded a team-high three blocks each to go along with three other Warriors -- Land, Braun, and Davenport -- who registered a block each.
Southern Oregon was led by Wortel's match-high 13 kills, while Leanne Stennett and Megan Bartling added 12 and 6 kills respectively. Stone handed out a match-high 41 assists for the Red Raiders, while Maggie Rivers anchored Southern Oregon's back line with a match-high 18 digs. At the net, Wortel recorded a match-high four blocks for the Raiders.
With the loss, Corban evens its record at 12-12 overall, including a 10-9 mark in conference play. Meanwhile, Southern Oregon extends its winning streak to five matches and improves to 18-9 overall, 16-3 in CCC action. The Warriors return home on Saturday, November 8th, for Senior Appreciation Night when they host the nationally-ranked Hustlin' Owls of Oregon Tech beginning at 7:00 p.m. inside the C.E. Jeffers Sports Center.
NOTE: Prior to the start of tomorrow night's match, Corban's women's volleyball program will be honoring five seniors that will be suiting up in a Warrior uniform for the final time at home.
