By Nikki Sherrill, Communications & Sports Information Intern
NAIA Network Match of the Week, presented by Stretch Internet – No. 6
No. 6 Eastern Oregon (17-1, 10-0 CCC) at No. 22 Corban (Ore.) (12-4, 8-2 CCC)
Saturday, Oct. 8 | 7 p.m. PDT | Salem, Ore.
Live Video and Stats – Provided by Corban Athletics
• The second meeting between two Cascade Collegiate Conference (CCC) foes takes place Saturday, as No. 6 Eastern Oregon travels to Salem, Ore., to take on No. 22 Corban (Ore.).
• After meeting a month ago when Eastern Oregon swept Corban, the Warriors look to avenge the loss and get the win on their home court. Corban is on a five-game winning streak and hopes to snap the 16-game streak Eastern Oregon is riding.
• Eastern Oregon has had the advantage over Corban for six seasons now, defeating the Warriors in every match played since the 2011 season. The last Corban win over Eastern Oregon was back on Oct. 16, 2010 when it came away with a 3-1 victory.
• Last season, Eastern Oregon made it to the NAIA National Championship, but could not get out of pool play as it went 1-2 in Sioux City, Iowa. The Mountaineers have only made it to the national championship twice in program history, while Corban is looking to make it to its first this season.
• The Mountaineers are led statistically by junior Amanda Miller, who ranks No. 12 nationally in hitting percentage (.375) and kills per match (3.9). As a team, Eastern Oregon ranks in the top 10 in three categories, coming in at No. 2 in hitting percentage (0.298), No. 6 in kills per match (13.8) and No. 8 in blocks per match (2.5).
• Corban is led by sophomore Madison McLain, who ranks No. 4 nationally in assists per match (11.1) and No. 23 in total assists (697). The Warriors rank No. 9 in kills per match (13.6), No. 16 in assists per match (12.3.) and No. 17 in hitting percentage (0.244).
• So far this season, Corban holds a 2-1 record against ranked teams, while Eastern Oregon is 7-1. The Mountaineers only loss came in the first match of the year to then-No. 16 Westmont (Calif.).
• In the most recent CCC poll from Oct. 3, the two programs hold the top spots with Eastern Oregon coming in at No. 1 and Corban stealing the No. 2 conference ranking. Both teams are ranked in the Top 25, along with No. 24 Northwest (Wash.) from the conference.
• The 2016 season marks the second year of the NAIA Network Volleyball Match of the Week, presented by Stretch Internet. These contests highlight member schools that utilize Stretch Internet – the NAIA’s official video partner for 24-of-25 national championships – as their online video partner. At least one of the two schools in the Match of the Week is a Stretch Internet client.
• The NAIA Network (
www.NAIANetwork.com) is the official video-streaming portal of the NAIA.
Additional notes from around NAIA Volleyball
(Through matches played Oct. 2, 2016)
• No. 1 Midland (Neb.) and No. 2 Westmont (Calif.) are the only NAIA teams remaining without a blemish this season. The Warriors hold a 17-0 record and Westmont leads all teams with an 18-0 record.
•Jeremy Wise, head coach of Union (Ky.), picked up his 100
th win for the program in an Appalachian Athletic Conference matchup against Milligan (Tenn.). The week prior, he led Union to its 500
th program win against Columbia (S.C.).
• Westmont is now on an eight-game streak of sweeping its opponents. This is the longest streak for teams this season. Westmont’s most recent 3-0 win came against (RV) The Master’s (Calif.). • The lead hitting team in the country is No. 7 Park (Mo.), which is hitting .311 with 951 total kills. No. 5 Lindsey Wilson (Ky.) leads all teams with 14.5 kills per set, and Missouri Baptist rounds out the offensive statistics with 13.1 assists per set.
• Defensively, Wiley (Texas) averages 3.3 blocks per set and leads the NAIA, while Kentucky Christian records 24.8 digs per set with 1,712 total so far this season.
• Individually, Kristina Medanovic of Missouri Baptist leads all players with a hitting percentage of .439, and Bethel’s (Tenn.) Eloisa Sales has the best kills per set average (5.5). On the defensive side of the net, Morgan Kensinger of Evangel (Mo.) records the most blocks per set (1.7) and Haley Stallings of College of the Ozarks (Mo.) earns 7.3 digs per set.
• Midland remains in the top spot for the third-consecutive week and only the third week all-time for the program. They are undefeated in Great Plains Athletic Conference play and have a big matchup against No. 3 Hastings (Neb.) at home Wednesday. For the latest complete Top 25 Poll, click
here.
• Tessa Colden and Carlee Baxter of Webber International (Fla.) and Nicole Warren of Jamestown (N.D.) were named NAIA National Volleyball Players of the Week. To read the complete release, click
here.
Other Top 25 Matches This Week:
o Wednesday– No. 3 Hastings (Neb.) vs. No. 1 Midland (Neb.)
o Thursday– No. 20 Bellevue (Neb.) vs. No. 4 Viterbo (Wis.)
o Friday – No. 11 Dordt (Iowa) vs. No. 3 Westmont (Calif.)
o Friday – No. 9 Grand View (Iowa) vs. Mo. 5 Lindsey Wilson (Ky.)
o Friday – (RV) Wayland Baptist (Texas) vs. Mo. 13 Oklahoma City
o Friday – (RV) The Master’s (Calif.) vs. No. 14 Missouri Baptist
o Friday – (RV) College of Idaho vs. No. 22 Corban (Ore.)
o Saturday – (RV) Concordia (Neb.) vs. No. 2 Westmont (Calif.)
o Saturday – (RV) Northwestern (Iowa) vs. No. 2 Westmont (Calif.)
o Saturday – (RV) The Master’s (Calif.) vs. No. 5 Lindsey Wilson (Ky.)
o Saturday – (RV) The Master’s (Calif.) vs. No. 9 Grand View (Iowa)
o Saturday – No. 14 Missouri Baptist vs. No. 9 Grand View (Iowa)
o Saturday – (RV) Webber International (Fla.) vs. No. 21 St. Thomas (Fla.)
NAIA Volleyball Match of the Week results:
o Week 1 – No. 4 Viterbo (Wis.) defeated No. 1 Columbia (Mo.), 3-0.
o Week 2 – Northwest (Wash.) defeated (RV) Southern Oregon, 3-0.
o Week 3 – No. 9 Grand View (Iowa) defeated (RV) Olivet Nazarene (Ill.), 3-0.
o Week 4 – No. 10 Georgetown (Ky.) defeated No. 2 Lindsey Wilson (Ky.), 3-1.
o Week 5 – No. 22 Jamestown (N.D.) defeated No. 18 Bellevue (Neb.), 3-2.
• For a complete list of NAIA Volleyball statistical leaders, click
here.
• For the ninth-straight year, Sioux City, Iowa, will once again play host to the NAIA Volleyball National Championship, now in its 37th year. The event will take place Nov. 29-Dec. 3 at the Tyson Events Center. Campus sites will host the National Championship Opening Round which will take place Nov. 19. For more information on the national championship, click
here.