SALEM, Ore. – The Corban University volleyball team came up clutch when it needed to most, claiming a five-set triumph (25-18, 22-25, 25-14, 22-25, 15-8) over The Evergreen State College on Saturday evening. For the Warriors, it was their first five-set win of the 2015 campaign.
"I was proud of the team fighting for another win tonight," said Corban head coach Kim McLain. "I knew we had to play very scrappy against Evergreen. At this point, in a very touch conference, we must be mentally tough in each match! I think we just let down emotionally and mentally at times, yet very proud of how we came focused and fighting in the fifth set!"
The Warriors dominated the first set, hitting for a .370 attack percentage en route to the seven-point set win, but Evergreen responded in a big way, coming right back with a three-set win of its own to level things up at one set apiece heading into the intermission.
Corban came out of the break fired up and jumped out to a huge lead and didn't look back en route to the third-set triumph and looked to be well on its way to a match victory.
The Geoducks had other plans, however, once again rallying and fighting back to take the fourth set by three points, forcing a fifth and final stanza.
In that final set, Corban used some blistering kills and key diving saves to build an early advantage, and it was a lead it would not relinquish, resulting in the Warriors' first five-set victory of the 2015 campaign.
Warrior sophomore outside-hitter Amber Parker (Albany, Ore.), the NAIA's leader in kills per set (5.65/set), once again dominated offensively, hitting for a season-best attack percentage of .466 and totaled a team-best 31 kills. Dishing many of those sets to her was freshman setter Madison McLain (Albany, Ore.), as she registered 52 more assists on the evening. For McLain, it brought her weekend total to 115 assists in two matches. McLain currently ranks ninth overall in the NAIA in assists/set with a 10.83 average per set on the year.
Defensively, it was a total-team effort, as sophomore libero Haley Wells (Albany, Ore.) notched a team-best 22 digs, while freshman outside-hitter Victoria Schroeder (Corvallis, Ore.) chipped in a career-best 18 digs to go along with 17 kills. In addition, McLain recorded 12 digs on the evening.
For the Geoducks (3-19, 3-14 CCC), Natalie Taylor led all players with 33 kills, while Kylie Kytan racked up 41 assists for Evergreen.
Corban (11-11, 9-7 CCC) returns to the court next week when it travels to Portland for a pair of matches against Multnomah University and Warner Pacific College on Friday and Saturday.
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