KLAMATH FALLS, Ore. – Oregon Tech and Southern Oregon opened the Cascade Conference volleyball season with a defensive slugfest – combining for 23 blocks and each team holding the other to their lowest hitting percentage of the season. In the end, SOU got 27 kills from their 6-rotation outside hitters in a 25-17, 25-16, 28-26 victory at Danny Miles Court.
The Lady Owls (7-2, 0-1 CCC) had their 5-match win streak snapped, despite holding a 12-11 edge in total blocks and holding their rivals from Ashland to a .168 attack percentage. Unfortunately, the Raiders (7-0, 1-0) were equally impressive, forcing 28 OIT attack errors on the night.
Set 1 was tight through 16 points, as Tech got a pair of blocks from
Aleksen Thayer and another from
Willow Jacobson as the Owls and Raiders were tied at 8-8. Southern tightened up the defense, using five OIT hitting errors to their advantage in an 8-1 run that allowed the visitors to pull away.
The Raiders had control of Set 2 for the bulk of the frame – as
Tiana Barrett got OIT within 17-14 with a kill – but consecutive Hannah Stadstad kills started an 8-2 run to end the period.
Set 3 was tight, as the teams combined for 12 ties and three lead changes. Southern jumped to a 16-12 lead, only to see the Lady Owls respond behind Barrett – who recorded a kill and two blocks in an 8-2 run to give Tech a 20-18 lead. OIT had two chances to win the set at 24-23 and 25-24, with SOU having a chance to win the match at 26-25 – but both teams made the plays needed to prolong the set. Tied at 26-26, outside hitters Marin Mackey and Mylena Testoni made plays for the Raiders, each converting kills to end the match.
Jacobson had seven kills and six blocks, Barrett had career-highs with five kills and six blocks in her first start, with
Molly Grace recording seven kills and 16 digs in the loss.
Paige Tevelde led Tech with 18 assists and
Kaley Whalen logged 17 digs.
Mackey and Testoni paced the way for SOU – Mackey recording 16 kills and 14 digs, with Testoni adding 11 kills, 14 digs and four blocks.
The Lady Owls have the weekend off, preparing for home dates against Eastern Oregon and College of Idaho.
