Aurora Penoyar (L) and Mindy Nalder (R) set up a block versus Eastern Oregon tonight in Cascade Conference action. (photo by Kelly Caleb)
Eastern Oregon Earns Sweep Over Oregon Tech
KLAMATH FALLS, Ore. – The Oregon Tech volleyball team fell to 7-10 in Cascade Conference play after Eastern Oregon swept the Owls 3-0 (25-21, 25-17, 25-20) tonight at Danny Miles Court.
Oregon Tech is now 13-10 overall and will close out the season tomorrow when the Owls host No. 6 College of Idaho. Eastern Oregon improved to 17-9 overall and 15-2 in the conference standings.
A Jennifer Saltenberger kill gave the Owls a 5-4 lead early in the opening set, while three EOU attack errors put OIT up 8-5. Eastern answered with a 5-0 run before the Owls answered back, however, four more from the visitors gave the Mounties a 14-9 lead. Tech would close to two points on three occasions, the last at 23-21, but EOU closed out set one with the final two points to win 25-21.
An Aurora Penoyar kill along with an ace from Sarah Svedin tied the contest in set 2, but the visitors answered back and increased their lead to 12-9. Six-straight from EOU would double up the Owls, 18-9, and later trail Eastern by as many as 11. OIT would close the gap to five, 22-17, but EOU once again answered with the final three points to win set 2 by a 25-17 final.
After OIT took an 11-9 lead in set 3, EOU strung together four-straight to take the lead back from the home team. Tech kept it close, 18-16, but another run, this time five-straight, gave EOU a 23-16 advantage. The Owls would score four in a row, but EOU never let it get closer, winning the set and match 25-20.
Joey Parnell and Aurora Penoyar tied for game-high honors in kills with 8 each with Jennifer Saltenberger adding 7 kills and Kai Evans-Bautista finishing with 6. Sarah Svedin recorded 28 assists to go with 10 digs and 3 aces, while Krystie Vea added 16 digs and Mindy Nalder 15 in the loss for Tech.
Jessica Lea led the Mountaineers with 8 kills, 16 assists and 8 digs in the win. Rebecca Haight finished with 7 kills to go with 2 aces, followed by Stefani Sorensen with 6. Kaitlyn Duncan anchored the EOU defense with 16 digs.