Oregon Tech's Whitney Webster. (photo by Kelly Caleb)
Oregon Tech Battles Back to win Five-Set Thriller over Corban
KLAMATH FALLS, Ore. – Oregon Tech managed to comeback from a two-set deficit to defeat Corban University in Cascade Collegiate Conference volleyball action tonight at Danny Miles Court, 3-2 (22-25, 17-25, 25-15, 25-14, 19-17).
Corban’s Amber Parker broke an 11-all tie in the opening set, as the Warriors rolled to an 18-13 lead. The Owls took advantage of six CU miscues, eventually tying the set at 22-22. The Warriors would score the final three in the opener and move up 1-0 with a 25-22 win.
CU moved out to a 14-6 lead and didn’t look back in set 2. Another Parker kill gave the Warriors their largest lead in the set, 19-10, and cruised to a 2-0 lead with a 25-17 win.
Set 3 saw the Owls score six-straight, using three aces and a pair of Bailey Nelson kills, moving ahead 6-1. Three Kelsey Sampson kills, and a pair of aces from the junior outside hitter, pushed Tech an 18-10 lead. An Alexa Burdett kill sealed the win, 25-15.
Corban managed the early lead in set 4, but not before six-straight points gave the Owls an 11-6 advantage. Another run of six, capped by a pair of Nelson kills, doubled up the Warriors at 18-9. Tech would move on to a 25-14 win and tie the match at 2-2.
The Owls had all the momentum to open up the final set, leading 6-2. Corban, however, managed to tie it at 7-7 and move ahead 8-7, as the team’s switched sides.
The Warriors looked to take the match, holding a 14-11 lead, but kills from Sampson and Mykala Rubey, along with a CU attack error, tied it at 14-all.
Tied at 17-17, Waverly Green went to Bailey Nelson for an 18-17 advantage, and next assisted Whitney Webster, as the Owls earned a 19-17 win in the finale.
Kelsey Sampson and Bailey Nelson led the Owls with 14 kills apiece with Mikayla Rubey coming away with 13. The trio, who each recorded double-doubles in the win, combined for 52 digs in the match. Waverly Green recorded 59 assists. Rubey’s 22 digs was a team high with Bella Foss adding 18.
Amber Palmer led Corban with a match-high 18 kills, followed by Victoria Schroeder with 12 and Hannah Olson 10 in the loss for the Warriors. Madison McLain tallied 43 assists with Haley Wells finishing with a match-high 33 digs. McKenzie Kolomyjec added 14 digs with Mikenzee Frazier and Kasey Calderon recording 12 digs each.
Oregon Tech (7-1, 2-0 CCC) will take their first CCC road trip when the Owls visit Northwest University and Evergreen State next week.