SOU and EOU battled in today's CCC semifinal
CALDWELL, Idaho - No. 13 ranked Southern Oregon survived a slow start to advance to their tenth-consecutive Cascade Conference Volleyball Tournament final, outlasting Eastern Oregon 17-25, 25-18, 25-22, 25-19 inside the J.A. Albertson Activities Center.
The Raiders (24-2) won their 15th-straight match overall and will meet the winner of tonight’s College of Idaho-Concordia game for the CCC’s automatic berth to the NAIA National Championships.
Eastern (15-9) never trailed in the opening set, using a 7-0 push early in the frame to build a 9-2 lead on a Melanie Cecilani kill. SOU closed within four points on seven occasions, but could not get closer, as the Mountaineers pounded out 15 kills in the period.
Set 2 opened with EOU grabbing a 5-4 lead, but the Raiders stormed back, using a 9-1 run to gain control. Chelsea Hartman had six of her 15 kills in the win. Set 3 had seven ties, the last at 14-14, before Southern took the lead for good. Eastern clawed within 24-22, but a Hartman spike ended the set.
The finale was dominated by Southern, as Leanne Stennett and Megan Bartling each had four kills without an error to complete the victory.
Stennett had 13 kills and 19 digs for the Raiders, with Caryn Westrick leading the setters with 23 assists. Heather Porter recorded four kills and ten blocks, with libero Becky Johnstone leading all players with 31 digs.
Jessica Lea registered a triple-double for EOU, recording a team-high 17 kills, 21 assists, and 11 digs, with Grace Deboodt had nine kills and 18 digs. Kathy Duncan led the Mountaineers defensively with 24 digs.