LA GRANDE, Ore. – The Eastern Oregon University volleyball team won their first ever NAIA Volleyball National Championship game as they defeated Menlo College, 3-1 (23-25, 25-12, 25-17, 25-19), in a packed Quinn Coliseum on Saturday night.
With the win, the Mountaineers will advance to the 2014 NAIA Volleyball National Championship, presented by J&L Enterprises and will compete in Sioux City, Iowa on Dec. 2-6 at the Tyson Event Center.
Casey Loper led the Mountaineers with 15 kills, while
Amanda Miller and Kasundra Tuma followed with 13 kills apiece. Courtney Calicdan led the Oaks with 15 kills.
Rachelle Chamberlain dished out a game-high 50 assists and
Jessalyn Smith recorded 22 digs.
The Mountaineers looked to have control early in the first set, as they raced out to a 10-4 lead, after a kill by
Amanda Miller. Eastern Oregon's lead slowly disappeared, as the Oaks battled back and tied the set at 18-18, after an attack error by Tuma.
Menlo took the lead, 19-18, after a Mountaineer attack error. Menlo did not give up the lead the rest of the first set and took set one, 25-23. Menlo recorded a hitting percentage of .214 in the first set while EOU hit .089.
EOU responded in the second set, after Menlo jumped out to an early 5-1 lead. EOU battled back and tied, 8-8. After tying the set, EOU took advantage of an attack error by Calicdan and took the lead.
Once EOU had the lead, the Mountaineers did not look back. Eastern Oregon closed out the second set on a 16-4 run, 25-12, tying the match at 1-1.
The Mountaineers jumped out early in set three against the Oaks and led 7-2, after an
Isabelle Statkus kill. Menlo looked as if they were slowly mounting a comeback, as a kill by Bailey Gamez cut the Mountaineers lead down to two, 9-7.
Eastern Oregon continued to battle and extended their lead back to seven points, 16-9, but the Oaks would not go away. EOU did not let Menlo get closer than two points the rest of the set and EOU scored the last six points, to take the set, 25-17.
Menlo jumped out quick in set four, as they led by three points, 10-7. Menlo continued to hold the lead as EOU battled and the Mountaineers, finally, tied the set at 13-13, after a kill by Loper. The set remained close, as it was tied at 14-14 and 15-15.
Statkus gave EOU the lead, 16-15, which Eastern Oregon did not give up. The Mountaineers slowly built a lead and a Tuma kill gave EOU the set, 25-19, and the match 3-1 over Menlo.
The final site pool play schedule will be announced on Sunday by 3 p.m. PST on www.NAIA.org.