SALEM, Ore. – The No. 6-ranked Corban University women's volleyball team continued its strong push through Cascade Collegiate Conference (CCC) play on Saturday night, sweeping Northwest University in straight sets at the C.E. Jeffers Sports Center. The Warriors secured a 25-17, 32-30, 25-19 victory behind aggressive serving and dominant front-row defense, improving to 19-6 overall and 12-4 in CCC action.
"I'm proud of how our team responded, stayed composed, and found a way to finish that set strong," said Warriors' head coach Kim McLain regarding a wild second set. "It was truly a team effort offensively, with everyone contributing. We finished the match serving tough and putting pressure on Northwest. It was a great team win, and I'm proud of the way we battled to earn the sweep in three sets."
Freshman opposite hitter Greta Van Gemert helped the Warriors establish early momentum in the opening set, putting together a seven-point serving streak with two aces woven in as Corban jumped out to a commanding 12-2 lead. Northwest responded with a push of its own, gradually closing the gap to 16-14 in favor of Corban. The Warriors answered with a strong finish, getting contributions from multiple hitters while continuing to apply pressure at the net and from the service line. Leading 23-17 late in the set, Corban turned to junior libero Dani Street, who delivered consecutive service aces to close out the opener, 25-17.
The second set was arguably the set of the year so far for the Warriors, featuring a back-and-forth battle that extended well beyond the standard 25-point finish. The teams were tied at 8-8 early before Northwest began to build momentum, taking an 11-13 lead and eventually stretching its advantage to 13-19. Both leads prompted Corban timeouts as the Warriors worked to settle their serve-receive and regain their offensive rhythm. Northwest's aggressive serving made it difficult for Corban to establish its attack, but the Warriors remained composed and battled back to force extra points.
With the score at 29-30 in favor of NU, Van Gemert delivered a crucial kill to tie the game back up before senior opposite hitter Kendra Bittle followed with a service ace. Senior setter Nadeiah Howard finished the set with a surprising kill of her own, sealing a dramatic 32-30 win. After facing a six-point deficit, the Warriors found a way to finish the set and take a commanding 2-0 lead in the match.
Looking to complete the sweep, Corban carried its momentum into the third set, although Northwest continued to challenge the Warriors. The Eagles pulled even at 12-12, but Corban answered with a timely run highlighted by a service ace from senior outside hitter Emma Bischoff and strong front-row defense. The Warriors' blocking helped create separation as the set progressed, limiting Northwest's opportunities to sustain its attack. Corban maintained control down the stretch, with Van Gemert recording the final kill to secure a 25-19 victory and complete the sweep.
The Warrior attack was led by Bischoff and Bittle, who recorded nine kills apiece, while Van Gemert added eight kills. Bischoff also contributed three service aces, four block assists, and eight digs. Freshman middle blocker Eliana Klos provided a major presence at the net, finishing with seven total blocks, including two solo blocks, while adding seven kills. Street paced the defensive effort with 19 digs and three service aces, while Howard directed the offense with 19 assists and added 10 digs for a double-double effort. Redshirt freshman setter Braeleigh MacAskill chipped in 17 assists as Corban's setters combined to distribute 36 assists.
As a team, Corban recorded 42 kills and had a hitting percentage of .201, compared to Northwest's 40 kills and .130 attacking percentage. The Warriors' serving and front-row defense proved especially important, as Corban finished with 12 service aces and 11 total blocks, compared to six aces and three blocks for the Eagles. Northwest finished with 69 digs to Corban's 68, but the Warriors were more efficient offensively and made the most of their opportunities at the net.
McLain also credited Northwest as a well-coached team with aggressive servers who could disrupt Corban's serve-receive. She noted that the Warriors' passing struggles in the second set made it difficult to get the offense going at times, making the team's response and composure especially important in securing the victory.
Northwest was led by Chloe Kennedy and Jaelyn Moeva with nine kills each, followed by Trinity Godina who had seven. Katelyn Bogetti tallied a staggering 35 assists and 14 digs while Sydney Faber led the Eagles with 18 digs defensively.
The Warriors will look to carry the momentum from Saturday's sweep into their next CCC matchup, as No. 20-ranked Lewis-Clark State College (18-4, 12-4) visits Tim Hills Court with sole possession of third place in the conference standings on the line.
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