No. 14 College of Idaho Sweeps Past Oregon Tech
KLAMATH FALLS, Ore. – The Oregon Tech volleyball team kept it close in each set, but the no. 14 ranked College of Idaho answered each Owl run on the way to a three-set sweep tonight at Danny Miles Court by a final of 25-18, 25-20, 25-19.
Oregon Tech drops to 8-6 overall and 1-2 in the Cascade Conference standings. College of Idaho improved to 5-3 on the year while remaining perfect in conference play at 3-0.
The teams would see-saw to begin set 1, as the Yotes held just a 16-15 advantage, but four-straight from the visitors would see the Owls fall back to a 20-15 deficit. A Kristen Walters kill and an attack error by C of I would close it to 20-17, but the Yotes gained back the momentum to close it out by a 25-18 final.
Oregon Tech would claim a 5-2 advantage in set 2, but an 8-0 Yote run, spurred by seven-straight service points by Janel Porter, gave the Yotes a 10-5 lead. The Owls continued to chip away at C of I and would eventually close to within two points, 15-13, on a Megan Christensen kill. However, a 5-0 run would help Idaho close out set 2 by a 25-20 final.
The Yotes jumped out to a 4-0 lead in set 3, but the Owls would battle back, closing the gap on a 5-0 run to a single point, 17-16. Four-straight by the visitors once again gave the momentum back to the visitors side, as the Yotes methodically pulled away to take the match with a 25-19 victory in the final set.
Kristen Walter led Tech with six kills, while Megan Christensen and Jennifer Saltenberger combined for nine. Mikayla Morgan and Mindy Rencher finished the match with three apiece. Sarah Svedin led the Owls with 18 assists, while picking up three digs, an ace and assisted on a block. Kayleigh Whelchel added a team-high eight digs, followed by Hannah Brewster and Bridget Harrison with five each.
C of I’s Lauren Bourgeau finished with a match-high 10 kills, while Liz Meyers and Madison Curtis trailed with nine kills each. Setter Madie Machurek totaled 34 assists and added five digs. Whitney Owen paced the Yote defense with a match-high 14 digs, while Janel Porter tallied three service aces in the win.
Oregon Tech will host Eastern Oregon University on Saturday, while the Yotes travel to no. 16 Southern Oregon University in a battle of Top-20 teams.