Tech libero Marie Baumann extends for one of her match-high 29 digs in loss to Warner Pacific College. (photo by Kelly Caleb)
Warner Pacific Hangs on for Five Set Win Over Oregon Tech
KLAMATH FALLS, Ore. – Trailing 2-1, Oregon Tech battled back to force a set 5, but it was Warner Pacific College that escaped Danny Miles Court with a Cascade Collegiate Conference volleyball victory, 3-2 (21-25, 25-16, 25-16, 23-25, 15-10).
The loss drops Oregon Tech to 10-13 on the season and 2-8 in CCC play. Warner Pacific improved to 11-7 on the year and even in CCC action at 5-5.
A Kristen Walters kill broke the sixth tie of the opening set to give Tech an 11-10 lead, while Joelle Swanson and Krista Galloway teamed up on a block, along with a WPC error, made it 13-10 Owls. A series of Tech miscues gave the lead back to the Knights before Tech would tie the set at 15-15, regaining the lead on a Julie Pfeifer spike, 17-15. Tech’s Kara Young added a kill to give the Owls their largest lead of four points, 24-20, with Galloway putting one away for the final point of set 1 to win 25-21.
WPC moved out 5-1 before the Owls would inch to within a single point, 7-8; however the Knights scored the next three to lead 7-11 to open set 2. Again the Owls battled back to within a point, 13-14, but WPC again answered to take back a four point advantage at 13-17. Maintaining a four point lead WPC would tally six of the next seven points to win set 2, 25-16.
A series of Tech miscues set the tone for set 3, as the Knights jumped on top 10-1. Tech would show some resiliency, as the Owls battled back and trailed just 16-18. However, WPC’s Devan Belshe would record back-to-back kills to give the momentum back to the visitors, along with a 2-1 advantage, after leading the Knights to a set 3, 25-16 victory.
Tied 7-7 in set 4, a pair of Knight blocking errors, and a Walters kill for the Owls, gave the home team a 10-7 lead. Tech would maintain a 16-12 advantage before Warner Pacific was forced to call a time out. Tied 17-17, the teams would see-saw, remaining tied at 23-23. The Owls would force the fifth and deciding set after a Kara Young killed followed a Knight hitting error to win 25-23.
Taking the opening point in the final set, the Owls fell quickly behind 3-1. Tech, however, would battle back and tie the set on two more occasions, but trailed 7-8 as the teams traded sides. Trailing 9-10, Tech would allow the Knights four-straight points to move up by a 14-9 count before winning the match 15-10.
Tech’s Kara Young and Kristen Walters tied for team-high honors with 15 kills each, followed by Jennifer Saltenberger with 10. Kayleigh Whelchel added 29 assists and Megan Holland 10. Marie Baumann finished with a match-high 29 digs, while Walters finished 17 to record Tech’s only double-double.
Rylie Engelson filled the stat sheet for WPC with 16 kills, 19 digs and 27 assists, while teammate Devan Belshe recorded 16 kills and 12 digs in the win for the Knights. Mikaela Lisoski added 11 kills, with Marchelle Bostic coming away with 25 assists and Samantha Bryan 19 digs.