Oregon Institute of Technology Athletics

COMING UP: at College of Idaho, Friday, 7 p.m. (MDT); at No. 2 Eastern Oregon, Saturday, 5 p.m.

COMPLETE WEEKLY MEDIA NOTEBOOK

WATCH LIVE: Live Video and Live Stats will be available for both weekend matches for fans unable to make the road trip. On Friday, Live Video (pay-per-view, $9.00) at College of Idaho will be available through the Yotes Digital Network, with Live Stats via C of I's SIDEARM Stats Portal. On Saturday at Eastern Oregon, Live Video (pay-per-view, $7.95) will be available through the Mountie Sports Network, with Live Stats through EOU's SIDEARM Stats Portal.
 
BACK ON THE ROAD: Tech makes what traditionally has been the most difficult road swing in the Cascade Conference this weekend – hitting the eastern reaches of the circuit and matches at College of Idaho and Eastern Oregon. A year ago, the Owls swept both matches on the trip – the first time OIT picked up road victories in the same year against the two schools since 2003.
 
OPPONENT PREVIEW – COLLEGE OF IDAHO: It's been a tough 2022 for the Coyotes (4-10, 3-4), as injuries and illness have plagued a program that at one point won 24-straight matches against OIT. C of I has a perfect 4-0 record this season in 3-set matches, however, are a combined 0-10 when extended to four or five sets. The duo of Janae Rayborn (3.15 k/s 2.90 d/s) and Chayla Slavin (2.11 k/s, 0.78 b/s) lead an attack that averages 11.2 kills a set and hits at a .162 percentage. Transfer setter Analise Hitchcock (7.33 a/s, 2.02 d/s) plays six rotations, with the Idaho squad featuring a new libero – Clair Hodge (3.89 d/s, 11 aces). C of I has a 45-11 series edge against OIT, including a 23-4 home mark, but the Owls have won the past four meetings, including three-straight in Caldwell.
 
OPPONENT PREVIEW – EASTERN OREGON: The trip ends against the Mountaineers (14-1, 7-0) – the highest-ranked team in CCC history – entering the week at No. 2 in the NAIA Top-25 poll.  EOU is riding a 14-match win streak, including six wins against Top-25 opponents – thanks to a potent offense (12.4 kills per set) and the top defense (2.9 blocks per set) in the CCC. All-American Cambree Scott (2.06 k/s, 1.28 b/s) paces an attack that features Preslee Jensen (2.92 k/s, 0.46 b/s) and Sade Williams (2.12 k/s, 3.04 d/s, 0.71 b/s) at the pins. Setter Alexis McMurtrey (5.38 a/s, 2.79 d/s, 25 aces) and libero Hailey Arritola (4.85 d/s) are the top passers and are key to the Mounties success. Eastern won 2-of-3 meetings last season, but OIT holds a 26-24 series lead.
 
FACING A TOP-2 TEAM: Saturday night will mark the ninth time in program history that OIT meets an opponent ranked either No. 1 or No. 2 in the NAIA Top-25 poll. The Owls met Fresno Pacific six times from 2004-11 when the Sunbirds were ranked either No. 1 or No. 2, while meeting Biola in 2004 when the Eagles were ranked No. 2 and met Cal Baptist in 2005 when the Lancers were ranked No. 1. Tech is 1-7 all-time against a No. 1 or No. 2 team – defeating FPU in five sets during the 2011 season.
 
TALONEN POSTS BACK-TO-BACK 20'S: Kaylin Talonen was the top offensive producer for the Lady Owls, pounding down 21 kills vs. Corban and 20 more against Bushnell. The 21 kills on Friday night ranked as the third-highest 3-set total in program history, with Talonen becoming the first player since Chase Bohman in 2018 to have consecutive 20-kill matches.
 
RIPPLINGER HAS BIG WEEK: OIT received key production from middle blocker Ashley Ripplinger, combining for 32 kills in the three matches. The senior had 14 kills vs. Southern and 10 vs. Corban, the second time in her career the middle blocker has recorded consecutive double-digit kill matches. Ripplinger played six rotations on Saturday vs. Bushnell, finishing with a career-high nine digs.
 
TEVELDE LOGS 50-ASSIST MATCH: In Saturday's marathon match with Bushnell, Tech switched to a one-setter system, paving the way for Paige Tevelde to post a career-high 53 assists. The sophomore, who added 12 digs on the night, became the first OIT player to record 53-or-more assists since Waverly Green had 59 assists against Corban in 2015.
 
GRACE AND HICKS KEY AT THE NET: Sophomores Molly Grace and Kate Hicks had another solid week, both contributing quality numbers. Grace had 11 kills against Southern, adding 15 kills vs. Bushnell – equaling a career high established twice this season. Hicks was key against BU, finishing with nine kills and a season-high six blocks – the fourth time the middle blocker has recorded 6-or-more kills in a match as a Lady Owl.
 
STEADY WEEK FOR BACK ROW: Tech got big numbers from their defensive specialists in the three-match week, including libero Aubrey Kievit, who recorded her fifth and sixth match of 2022 with 20-or-more digs. Kievet had 23 digs in the win over SOU, adding 19 digs against Corban and adding 24 more vs. Bushnell. Freshman Kaley Whalen was key against Southern, recording 17 digs, while senior Alicia Volk combined for 13 digs in the weekend matches – including a season-high seven vs. Corban.
 
1,000-KILL WATCH: Nicole Reyes is poised to become the ninth member of OITs 1,000-kill club, heading into the weekend just 16 kills shy of the milestone. The fifth-year senior had 15 kills in Wednesday's win at Southern Oregon and looks to join Kelsey Sampson as the only Lady Owls to record 1,000 kills and 1,000 digs in a career.
 
AROUND THE CCC: Along with Southern Oregon and OIT traveling to Eastern Oregon and College of Idaho, key match-ups will be in the Willamette Valley, as Evergreen and Northwest head to Corban and Bushnell – with Evergreen and Corban battling for second-place in the standings and Bushnell and Northwest vying for fourth. Lewis-Clark State and Walla Walla head to Portland for matches at Multnomah and Warner Pacific.
 
RECORD BOOK: Seven current players rank among the Top-20 in the OIT career record book. Nicole Reyes leads the way, ranking No. 4 in kills (984), No. 9 in digs (1,006), No. 8 in sets played (391) and No. 10 in both aces (87) and matches played (109). Aubrey Kievit is No. 2 in digs (1,495) and No. 17 in aces (72); Courtney Isom is No. 9 in assists (1,327); Kaylin Talonen is No. 9 in kills (814); Ashley Ripplinger is No. 12 in blocks (228); Brooke Cassidy is No. 13 in assists (526); with Paige Tevelde No. 14 in assists (412).
 
LOOKING AHEAD: OIT returns home to end the first half of the CCC season, closing out September with a match against Warner Pacific and opening October against Multnomah.