KIRKLAND, Wash. – Molly Grace became the fifth Oregon Tech player to record 1,000 kills in a career, part of an 18-kill, 11-dig night, but it wasn't enough for the Lady Owls, as Northwest University topped the Owls in four sets inside Brodin Pavilion.
 
The 25-23, 20-25, 25-21, 25-18 loss guarantees Tech (17-12, 10-11 CCC) the No. 7 seed in next week's Cascade Conference Championships, sending the squad on the road Tuesday for a first-round matchup.
 
OIT had their chances in each of the four sets – as two Lucy Boyd aces in a 6-1 run gave the Owls a 12-1 lead in Set 1. Tech led 23-22 after a Grace kill, but the Eagles (13-16, 8-13) got consecutive kills from Kaitlyn Mickle in a 3-point rally to steal the set.
 
The Owls evened the match in Set 2, as two kills from both Willow Jacobson and Aleksen Thayer, along a combo-block between the duo, fueled a 6-1 run to close the frame.
 
Tech rattled off 8-straight points in Set 3 – forcing seven NU attack errors – as the visitors took a 20-18 lead. Unfortunately, Azaria Johnson hammered two kills and added a stuff block, as the Eagles scored seven of the final eight points of the period.
 
NU stole Set 4, erasing a 16-13 OIT lead – closing the match on a 12-2 run.
 
Grace added a team-high four blocks in the loss, as the senior pushed her career kills total to 1,013. Jacobson had 10 kills and four blocks, with Thayer posting eight kills and three blocks. Boyd ended the night with 37 assists and seven digs, while libero Kaley Whalen had a season-high 30 digs and three aces.
 
Mickle led all players with 19 klls, with Johnson ending the night with nine kills and six blocks.
 
OIT closes out the regular-season tomorrow afternoon at Evergreen State.