SOU Sweeps OIT
ASHLAND, Ore. – The Southern Oregon volleyball team made a quick night of volleyball on Tuesday, as they swept Cascade Conference foe Oregon Tech, 3-0. The Raiders (12-4, 6-1) extended their home match winning streak to 12 and their overall winning streak to seven, while ending Oregon Tech’s (12-8, 5-3) five- match winning streak.
Kicking off the Raiders’ three-game win, Lindsey Stone (Ashland, Ore.) set the pace by recording an ace on the Raiders’ first serve. From there the Raiders took the early lead of 4-1 off a pair of OIT errors and a Samantha Yutzie (Sublimity, Ore.) kill. The Owls answered back by scoring seven unanswered points to take an 8-4 lead. The two teams battled to a close 10-8 Owl lead before a pair of Jaclyn Hamilton-Smith (Eugene, Ore.) kills as well as OIT errors put SOU back in the lead, 12-11.
Again the two teams were neck-and-neck before Oregon Tech pulled ahead to a dangerous 20-14 lead. Southern came back with five unanswered points bringing the Raiders within one. Fighting through the final 10 points of the game, the Raiders were finally able to take the lead when Mia Wortel (Estacada, Ore.) recorded a kill to put SOU up, 28-27. Another Wortel kill, combined with a Lindsey Stone kill, brought the Raiders to game-point where OIT’s Mikayla Morgan had an attacking error, giving the Raiders game one.
In game two, the Raiders struggled out of the gate as well, allowing Oregon Tech to get ahead 5-1. SOU worked their way back to an 11-11 tie before taking the 12-11 lead and never looking back. After a Hamilton-Smith kill that put the Raiders up 21-18, SOU was able to jump to a 25-18 lead. From there SOU again capitalized on an OIT error which sealed game two for a Raider win, 30-24.
Making each game easier, SOU took an early 7-1 lead. Battling like they had much of the game, Oregon Tech made a comeback coming to a close 11-10 deficit after a Katie Fuller kill. However the Raiders took the comeback in stride and pulled away again, winning 30-23.
Wortel had a court high of 14-kills (.375) while Richelle Millsap (Bend, Ore.) tallied 12 additional (.240) in the Raiders’ 47 total kills. Lindsey Stone was able to rack up 40 set assists while also tallying the second highest dig total (8) for the Raiders; her sister Emily Stone, led the team in digs with nine while also recording one service ace. Hamilton-Smith and Lindsey Stone each tallied two service aces while Wortel and Shanna Claflin (Grants Pass, Ore.) led the team in blocks with eight and seven respectively. The Raiders hit .186 on the night while recording 43 digs, six aces, and 19 blocks.
Oregon Tech was led by Katie Fuller and Michelle Klaja who each totaled six kills on the night. Katie Coburn led the Owls in set assists (14), while Lizzie Law added 12 in the OIT offense. Stephanie Willett recorded a match high of three aces, while Kelsey Russell did the same in digs (10). The Owls hit .017 on the night while recording 30 kills, 42 digs, 21 blocks and four aces.
Oregon Tech will host Northwest Christian on Friday, September 28 before the Beacons travel to Ashland to face the Raiders on Saturday, September 29. SOU’s match will be held at McNeal Pavilion at 7 p.m.