SALEM, Ore. – The No. 6 ranked Corban University Women's Volleyball team opened the weekend by cruising past The Evergreen State College in three sets. The Warriors showcased their serving abilities on their home court Friday night at the C.E. Sports Jeffers Center. Six different Warriors recorded aces tonight alongside a steady offense and stalwart defense that complemented the sweep, with scores of 25-11, 25-16, and 25-10 to improve Corban to 18-6 overall and 11-4 in Cascade Collegiate Conference (CCC) play.
Head Coach Kim McLain was pleased with how her team performed in all aspects of the game. "Great team effort tonight! I am proud of the way we served aggressively and put pressure on our opponent. Our defense was strong, both at the net and in the backcourt, and everyone contributed to the win. We continue to focus on getting better each day, growing together, and playing our best volleyball as the season progresses!"
The Geoducks (2-17, 1-14) battled early in the first set, trailing just 5-4, but the Navy and Gold started to pull away thanks to five service aces and eight total errors from the Geoducks. Senior setter Nadeiah Howard and senior outside hitter Emma Bischoff each logged a pair of aces. Freshman middle blocker Eliana Klos locked down the Geoducks' attack with four key blocks, propelling the Warriors to a 20-7 stretch and holding their opponent to a negative attacking percentage, which led to a 25-11 commanding set victory.
The Warriors carried the first-set momentum into set two, with multiple long runs giving the Dubs an early advantage. Junior opposite hitter Lauryn Copeland set the tone, scoring four kills to help the Warriors lead 18-4 in the second set. Junior middle blocker Gracee Robertson and freshman opposite hitter Greta Van Gemert pelted the Geoducks' defense, each scoring three kills. Junior libero Dani Street added to the momentum with multiple aces.
The Geoducks didn't give up, responding with an 11-2 run to cut the deficit to just six points late in the second set, with the Warriors still up 21-15. However, a kill from freshman outside hitter Racquel Gauna and a service ace from redshirt freshman setter Braeleigh MacAskill spoiled the potential comeback, giving the Warriors a two-set advantage after a 25-16 second set.
Set three was led by two early aces from senior outside hitter Kendra Bittle and Van Gemert. Bischoff, Klos, and Van Gemert also added multiple kills. The Warriors took a 10-1 lead and never looked back, continuing to pull away with stifling defense. On match point, Bischoff and Klos ended the match with yet another dominant block at the net. The Warriors backed up their defense with an explosive offense, as they finished the final set with a .440 attacking percentage, putting the match officially out of reach with a 25-10 victory.
The Warriors had five student-athletes with multiple service aces, which played a big role in their successful victory tonight. Howard dished dimes to her teammates, tallying 17 assists in the process. The offense's four highest kill leaders hit .417 or higher from the attack. Van Gemert held a staggering .538 attacking percentage, and both she and Bischoff each secured eight kills. Klos and Copeland also contributed with a half-dozen kills each. Klos provided strong net presence, securing five block assists. Street played impenetrable defense, finishing with a match-high 16 digs in just three sets, alongside a perfect reception percentage.
For the Geoducks, Sophia Scroggins led the stat sheet with seven kills, six digs, and two block assists, while Jayden Vaimaona also led with seven assists. Rosario Olvera provided the lone ace against the Warriors. Evergreen finished the match with a .025 attacking percentage.
With tonight's victory, the Warriors' home win streak is now at five-straight and could reach six tomorrow when they square off against Northwest University (7-17, 3-12). Corban defeated the Eagles on their home court back on September 11th and are looking to complete the season sweep. First serve is scheduled to start Saturday, October 24th, at 4pm inside the C.E. Jeffers Sports Center.
Follow Corban Athletics:
Facebook | Twitter (X) | Instagram | YouTube | Email | Photo Galleries
