BOX SCORE SALEM, Ore. – The NAIA's No. 19-ranked Corban University outlasted former Cascade Collegiate Conference rival Concordia University (Ore.) in four sets, 3-1 (25-22, 22-25, 25-22, 25-14), Saturday inside the C.E. Jeffers Sports Center. Today's match was an exhibition for both teams, which does not affect either team's records despite the outcome.
Corban was led offensively by
Cassie Cunningham and
Avari Ridgway with 14 and 11 kills, respectively. Meanwhile,
Jacquelyn Clark and
Sarah Randall added seven kills each to go along with six kills from Sarah Bartley.
Jadyn Mullen led the Warriors' offense with 23 assists, while
Lauren Condon and
Kealani Ontai registered a team-high 16 digs each for the Navy and Gold.
Concordia was led offensively by Camille Guerrero with a double-double that included 14 kills and 17 digs, while Kahua Tilton handed out a match-high 26 assists to go along with three Cavaliers – Callie Wilkins, Guerrero, and Jessica Wheeler – in double figure digs with 18, 17, and 15 respectively.
The Warriors would being Set #1 by jumping out to a quick 5-0 lead behind the serving of
Maddie Stimmel and then extended the Navy and Gold lead to as much as six points (16-10) on a service error by Concordia. The visiting Cavaliers would pull within a single point (20-19) via a 9-4 run before Corban closed out the set on a 5-3 run that was capitalized by a set-ending kill by Cunningham.
Set #2 would belong to Concordia for the opening 31 points, as the Cavaliers held an 18-13 lead that forced Corban to call its second and final timeout. Following the break, the Navy and Gold used a 9-5 run to pull within one point (23-22) on a combo block by Bartley and Randall. Unfortunately, Concordia would close out the set by scoring the final two points that included a set-ending attack error by the Warriors.
The third set would see both teams fight back and forth over the opening 32 combined points. Following a 16-16 tie, the Navy and Gold would use a 6-1 run to pull ahead by five points (22-17) on another combo block this time by Cunningham and Randall. Concordia would fight back to even the set at 22-all before Corban used a set-ending 3-0 run that was capped by Ridgway's kill for the 25-22 victory.
The final set was a battle in the beginning, as both teams were deadlocked at 8-8 before Corban used a 6-1 run to pull ahead by five points (14-9). From that point on, the Navy and Gold would not look back extending their lead to as much as 10 points (24-14) before Rigdway ended the match with her 11th and final kill of the afternoon.
Corban will return to action on Friday when the Warriors begin Cascade Collegiate Conference play against nationally-ranked The College of Idaho beginning at 7 p.m. inside the C.E. Jeffers Sports Center.
