Raiders take over in 5th set to survive Geoduck scare

9/23/2017 11:11:00 PM

SOU Sports Information

ASHLAND – Dani Johnson made sure Southern Oregon stayed perfect in marathon matches while prolonging The Evergreen State's fifth-set misery Saturday at Mountain Avenue Gym.

While Raider middle Makayla Hoyt dominated most of the night with 17 kills on 30 attacks and six blocks, it was Johnson, a junior outside hitter, who turned all five of her swings into kills in the fifth set of a 25-23, 23-25, 25-20, 18-25, 15-7 victory over the Geoducks.

The Raiders (7-4 overall, 5-2 CCC) went to 5-0 in five-set matches this season and 14-1 in CCC matches of the sort over the last four years. The Geoducks (4-11, 1-7), on the other hand, have lost four of them in the last nine days.

Johnson – as she did in SOU's upset of No. 8 College of Idaho, when she had four kills on four attacks in the fifth – took over again to finish with 12 kills, and pushed the Raiders to a .733 average (12-for-15, 1 error) in the fifth. Freshman middle Elliott Cook also continued to blossom with 11 kills and six blocks, and Taylor Ristvedt added 10 kills.

In the back, Ashlyn Flynn settled SOU with 23 digs and Emma Ryan recorded eight digs and a career-high three service aces, including one in the decisive frame. Hannah Bogatin (26) and Natalie James (25) combined for 51 assists, helping the Raiders hit .209 overall.

Freshman setter Matalasi Laban directed Evergreen's improved offense with 58 assists, setting up Natalie Taylor for 18 kills, Chloee Hunt for 14 and Bethanie Nelson for 13. Hunt also was in on six of the team's eight blocks.

SOU has won 32 of 33 all-time against the Geoducks, who have still yet to win in Ashland.