ASHLAND, Ore. – Aubrey Kievit broke a 10-year-old school record in the opener, but Oregon Tech was unable to hold a one-set lead in both matches, dropping 4-set affairs to Concordia (Neb.) and Park (Ariz.) at the Raider Invitational.
 
The Lady Owls (0-2) fell in an offensive battle against Concordia – 29-31, 26-24, 25-19, 25-17, while Park used 12 service aces to their advantage in a 15-25, 25-20, 25-21, 25-20 win.
 
"I am proud of how we came out in the first set of both matches," said OIT head coach Dr. Ken Murczek. "We will need to work on playing at a high level over an extended period of time."
 
Kievit was the story in the opener, recording 32 digs in the contest – the most in a 4-set match in program history. The senior surpassed the previous record of 30, set by Marie Baumann in 2012.
 
Tech rode the right-arm of All-American Nicole Reyes, as the fifth-year senior pounded out 20 kills and added 10 digs – her fifth career 20-or-more kill match and her 44th career double-double.
 
The opening set was a marathon, as the Bulldogs rallied from a 23-19 deficit to earn five set points – the last at 29-28. OIT answered with a 3-point push, as Kaylin Talonen powered home a kill, followed by a Reyes spike and a Kaley Whalen ace to close the set.
 
Tech was one point away from taking a two-set lead, as a Kievit ace gave the Lady Owls a 24-22 edge. Unfortunately, a pair of OIT hitting errors were sandwiched around CU kills – handing the Nebraska team the set win.
 
The Bulldogs put the match away with quick starts in Set 3 and Set 4 – taking a 16-9  and 15-7 leads – and completed the win.
 
Talonen had 15 kills in the loss for OIT, with both setters posting solid numbers – as Courtney Isom had 30 assists and 10 digs, with Paige Tevelde recording a career-high 26 assists.
 
Three CU players finished with 12 kills – Ashley Keck, Carly Rodaway and Gabi Nordecker.
 
Following a two-hour break, OIT matched up against Park-Gilbert and stormed to a Set 1 win – recording 14 kills in 24 swings, without a hitting error.
 
The Bucs (1-1) Raley Druxman took over Set 2, blasting five kills and two aces in a 12-5 run to help the Arizona team even the match. Park used an efficient Set 3, hitting at a .412 clip, to take the match lead – before a 10-2 run early in Set 4 helped the Arizona crew earn the victory.
 
Talonen led Tech with 14 kills, with Molly Grace tying a career-high with 11 kills. Freshman Savanna Sterck chipped in with nine kills, with Isom leading the Owls with 23 assists and seven digs.
 
Druxman led all players with 16 kills and five aces.
 
"We played two solid teams that, like us, competed in the NAIA Tournament," Murczek said. "I look for our team to grow from this tough competition."
 
OIT hits the road to California next week, starting with a Tuesday afternoon doubleheader in Redding vs. Simpson University.