Oregon Institute of Technology Athletics

COMING UP: at Northwest, Friday, 7 p.m.; at Evergreen, Saturday, 5 p.m.

COMPLETE WEEKLY MEDIA NOTEBOOK

WATCH LIVE: Fans unable to make it will be able to follow along the live action from the Puget Sound region. Friday's match at Northwest will feature Live Video and Stats through NU's Stretch Internet Portal, while Saturday afternoon's match at Evergreen will have Live Video and Stats through TESC's Stretch Internet Portal (PPV - $7.95)
 
OWLS SET TO HEAD NORTH: One week down, nine weekends to go in the race for a spot in the Cascade Conference Championships, as OIT hits the road for the first time in league play, traveling to the Seattle metro area for a pair of games. Tech will open the weekend at Northwest, where the squad ended a 5-match losing skid in Kristi Brodin Pavilion with a 3-set sweep of the Eagles in 2021. Saturday, the club treks to Evergreen, where the club earned a sweep of the Geoducks last season – their first on TESC's home floor since 2011. Tech has swept the Washington road trip five previous times (2001, 2007, 2008, 2014, 2021).
 
OPPONENT PREVIEW – NORTHWEST: The Eagles (6-5, 2-1 CCC) have played a tough preseason schedule – including 5-set losses to Top-10 teams in Viterbo and Dordt – but were swept in their home opener against Evergreen. Abi Broussard (3.05 k/s, 0.88 b/s, 21 aces) is the go-to hitter and also leads a team that averages 2.2 aces per set. Both Delany Sparks (1.97 k/s, 0.59 b/s) and Reece Denney (1.66 k/s, 1.83 d/s, 16 aces) are quality offensive options, with setter Anna Saelens (4.72 a/s) and libero Kelsey Moore (6.05 d/s, 19 aces) key to NU's success. OIT has won the past three meetings, but the Eagles hold a 27-24 series edge, including a 14-9 mark in Kirkland.
 
OPPONENT PREVIEW – EVERGREEN: The Geoducks (4-3, 3-0) currently hold a half-game lead in the CCC standings – opening league play with sweeps of Multnomah, Warner Pacific and Northwest. Four-year starting outside hitter Zoe Shaw (5.00 k/s, 3.05 d/s, 0.52 b/s) leads the league in kills per set and is one of the top 6-rotation players in the CCC. The duo of Lily Stewart (2.90 k/s, 0.67 b/s) and Hannah Rongen (1.52 k/s, 1.14 b/s) are tough at the net, with setter Sierra Wolff (1.05 k/s, 6.76 a/s, 2.57 d/s) and libero Amaya Carter (3.80 d/s) anchor the passing and defense. OIT ended a 5-match losing streak to TESC with a series sweep in 2021, with Tech holding a 31-9 all-time series lead, including a 12-5 mark in Olympia.
 
AROUND THE CASCADE CONFERENCE: Week 1 frontrunners emerged as Eastern Oregon ran the gauntlet – earning huge road wins at Corban and Bushnell – with Southern Oregon completing a weekend sweep of Walla Walla and Lewis-Clark State. Corban rebounded with a road sweep of Bushnell, with the Seattle clubs sweeping the Portland teams. Along with OIT and SOU heading to Seattle, Multnomah and Warner Pacific make the short trip to Bushnell and Corban, while EOU and College of Idaho (who forfeited matches at Corban and Bushnell due to injuries and COVID concerns) travel to LCSC and Walla Walla.
 
TECH DROPS MARATHON, WINS LATE NIGHT MATCH: The Owls played the long and short ends of matches last weekend – dropping a 5-set slugfest with Lewis-Clark State and quick dispatching Walla Walla in straight sets. The Friday night date with LCSC took over two and a half hours, with the teams combining for 122 kills (61 for each team), with the visitors rallying in Set 5 for the victory. Saturday's match with WWU started at 9:05 p.m. – but lasted just 65 minutes, with the Owls dominating all statistical categories, including a 45-21 edge in kills.
 
GRACE HAS CAREER WEEKEND: It was a breakout pair of matches for sophomore Molly Grace, who broke her own career-high for kills on Friday and equaled her previous best on Saturday. Grace powered her way to 15 kills and six digs against Lewis-Clark State, adding 13 more kills in the win over Walla Walla – combining for a .522 hitting percentage on 46 total swings. Her .344 attack percentage is tops on the OIT team and ranks No. 3 in the CCC.
 
REYES CLOSING IN ON 1,000: Fifth-year senior Nicole Reyes continued her climb in the OIT record book – recording 19 kills and 17 digs in the two matches. The 2021 All-American sits just 22 digs away from becoming the ninth member of the 1,000-dig club, while needing 62 kills to become the fourth Lady Owl to surpass the 1,000-kill mark. Reyes had her best hitting night of the season against WWU, swinging at a stellar .526 clip.
 
MORE FROM THE PINS: The duo of Kaylin Talonen and Savanna Sterck were key to the Owls success – combining for 40 kills on the weekend. Talonen had a season-high 18 kills vs. LCSC, her fifth career match with 18-or-more kills, with Sterck adding 11 kills in the 5-set loss, her second double-digit kill match of 2022.
 
BLOCK HAS BEST WEEKEND OF THE YEAR: OIT tightened up their coverage at the net over the weekend – posting a season-high 12 blocks in the match with LC State. Ashley Ripplinger led the way with nine blocks in the two matches – including a season-high seven against LC, with Savanna Sterck posting five blocks in the LC match alone and Kate Hicks adding four – helping the season average climb to 1.56 blocks per set.
 
ACES AWAY: Tech used the service game against Walla Walla to their advantage, racking up nine aces in the 3-set win. For the weekend, Paige Tevelde combined for six aces – including four against WWU, with Ashley Ripplinger adding five. The effort upped the Lady Owls season ace average to 1.66.
 
DIGGING IT: Aubrey Kievit had her best weekend of the season, combining for 39 digs in the two matches – without recording a reception error. The senior had 26 digs vs. LCSC, her 22nd career match with 20-or-more digs, while extended a streak of matches with at least one service ace to 12 (dating back to last season).
 
QUALITY WEEKEND FOR THE SETTERS: The two-setter system continues to work well for the Lady Owls, as Courtney Isom and Paige Tevelde led the way against LC and WWU. Isom had 58 assists, six digs and four blocks in the two matches – including a season-high 32 assists vs. LC State, with Tevelde combining for 35 assists and nine blocks.
 
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 (938), No. 9 in digs (978), No. 10 in aces (86) and in sets played (380) and No. 15 in matches played (106). Aubrey Kievit is No. 3 in digs (1,407) and No. 19 in aces (69); Courtney Isom is No. 9 in assists (1,233); Kaylin Talonen is No. 10 in kills (750); Brooke Cassidy is No. 13 in assists (525); Ashley Ripplinger is No. 13 in blocks (220); with Paige Tevelde No. 15 in assists (291).
 
LOOKING AHEAD: OIT will play three matches in the span of four days – traveling next Wednesday to Southern Oregon before returning home to face Corban and Bushnell – all three teams ranked or receiving votes in the NAIA Top-25 poll.