PORTLAND, Ore. – Molly Grace led a big night from Oregon Tech underclassmen with nine kills, as the Lady Owls earned a 25-17, 25-23, 25-13 victory over Multnomah University at Jim Skagen Court.
 
OIT (14-13, 11-10 CCC) guaranteed themselves a winning season – but saw their postseason hopes shattered with Southern Oregon's win at Warner Pacific, eliminating the squad from contention for the Cascade Conference Championships.
 
Big runs were the key to the win – as a 6-0 run in Set 1, powered by three Nicole Reyes kills, gave the visitors a 18-10 lead.  Set 2 was tighter, with the Lions (4-17, 4-17) using a 9-2 run to take a 14-7 lead on an OIT hitting error. The Owls used a pair of Savanna Sterck-Ashley Ripplinger blocks in an 8-0 run to take the lead, with a Grace kill ending the set. Sterck got into the act offensively in Set 3, ripping three kills in an 11-1 run that broke open the frame.
 
Freshman Alma Solis had five kills and two blocks, Sterck adding five kills and three blocks, with Brooke Cassidy recording 10 assists and six digs. Libero Aubrey Kievit led all players with 19 digs.
 
Jocelynn Porter paced MU with five kills, with the Lions recording a .050 hitting percentage on the night.
 
OIT closes out the 2022 season tomorrow afternoon with a 5 p.m. match-up at Warner Pacific.