OLYMPIA, Wash. – Proving that you can't make many mistakes when playing a nationally-ranked team, the 14th-ranked Eastern Oregon Mountaineers swept past the Evergreen Geoducks, 25-19, 25-14, 25-17, in a Cascade Conference volleyball match on Friday night at CRC Gymnasium in Olympia, Wash.
The first set was tight with 14 ties and four lead changes but the Mountaineers got hot when it mattered, scoring the last four points of the frame to earn a 25-19 win in what would be the closest set of the night. Evergreen hit just .075 in the first set, connecting on 12 kills with nine errors on 40 swings. On the other side of the net, EOU hit .270 with 14 kills and four errors on 37 attacks.
Eastern Oregon controlled the second set from the very beginning as the Mounties picked up the first four points and Evergreen just couldn't climb back into contention as EOU cruised to a 25-14 set two win. The Mountaineers had their best hitting set of the night, connecting for 16 kills with four errors on 33 attacks for a .364 clip.
The third set looked a lot like the first set but Evergreen struggled to build any sort of lead as the Geoducks never led by more than a point. After trailing by just three at 18-15, the Geoducks gave up four straight points and EOU took advantage to take the 25-17 win and clinch the match in straight sets.
Evergreen was led by seven kills each from Brandee Victorino and Molly King. Jaclyn Trinque finished with 26 assists while Natimia Barker-Doss led the back row with 13 digs. The Geoducks hit just .057 on the night, connecting for 30 kills with 24 errors on 106 total attacks.
Eastern Oregon was led by 12 kills from Casey Loper. Rachelle Chamberlain added 35 assists while Jessalyn Smith led all players with 16 digs. EOU hit .295 for the night with 41 kills and just 13 errors on 95 swings.
The Geoducks will look to bounce back on Saturday night when they take on College of Idaho. First serve with the Yotes is set for 5 p.m. at CRC Gymnasium in Olympia, Wash.