KLAMATH FALLS, Ore. – Seniors Savanna Sterck, Willow Jacobson and Lex Boccia combined for 27 kills, helping Oregon Tech stun No. 21 Northwest University 25-16, 25-20, 25-16 at Danny Miles Court.
 
The Lady Owls (11-13, 5-12 CCC) broke through against a Top-25 foe, snapping a 27-match losing streak against ranked opponents – dominating an Eagles team in every facet of the contest. Tech held a 45-30 edge in kills, an 8-3 edge in blocks, while holding the visitors to a .113 attack percentage. OIT trailed just once in the match – on the opening point of Set 3.
 
Freshman Alexa Gugliotta set the tone in the opening frame, hammering 4-straight kills in a 7-0 run to end the set.
 
Set 2 featured runs by both teams, as Jacobson had three kills in an OIT 8-1 push to open the period, before the Eagles (13-10, 7-10) whittled the deficit to 20-18 on a Delaney Sparks ace. Sterck answered with a kill to earn a side out, with the Owls capitalizing on two NU service errors and a Sumerlyn Spencer ace to close out the set.
 
Aleksen Thayer and Gugliotta turned defense into offense in Set 3, Thayer recording two block assists in a 5-0 run to give the Owls a 13-8 lead, with Gugilotta following suit to extend the margin to 19-13 – as the hosts eased to the win.
 
Sterck led all players with 10 kills, Jacobson had nine, with Boccia, Gugliotta and Thayer all ending with eight. Lucy Boyd had 36 assists and a team-high 14 digs, with Alison Miller recording 10 digs and three aces.
 
Kaitlyn Mickle led NU with nine kills in the loss – as the Eagles have dropped 5-in-a-row.
 
OIT closes out the home schedule tomorrow at 4 p.m. vs. Evergreen. The Owls will honor five seniors – Sterck, Jacobson, Boccia, Abigail Sorensen and Kaley Whalen following the match.