SALEM, Ore. – The Corban University volleyball team began its 2018 campaign with many fresh faces on the court on Friday, but the result remained like many from 2017 – a victory. Corban defeated NCAA Division II foe, Saint Martin's University, in straight sets and in dominant fashion (25-20, 25-8, 25-16).

With just four returners from the 2017 team that captured the Cascade Collegiate Conference (CCC) regular season title, the Warriors took the court at C.E. Jeffers Sports Center with quite a bit of new blood on Friday afternoon.

Three of those new additions (Avari Ridgway, Jacquelyn Clark, and Tori Edwards) tied for a team-best seven kills in the match, setting the tone for the Navy and Gold's offensive dominance. Freshman Kealani Ontai was spectacular on the defensive end, tallying a game-high 10 digs.

Cierra Leopoldino and Demi Winters, a pair of familiar faces for Warrior fans, also made their present felt in the triumph. Leopoldino paced the Corban attack with a team-leading 20 assists, while also notching six aces. Winters made her presence felt at the net, leading the squad with three blocks while collecting a pair of kills.

For Saint Martin's, Ililani Kamaka finished the game with a team-high in kills (six) and digs (eight), with Jordan Keane dishing out eight assists on the afternoon.

Corban will take the court again on Thursday when the team travels to Ellensburg, Wash. to scrimmage NCAA Division II opponent, Central Washington University. The Warriors will then officially kick-off their season on August 17, when they battle Lewis-Clark State in the first NAIA contest of 2018. First serve is set for 11 a.m. in Spokane, Wash.