Mountaineers' Season Comes to a Close in NAIA National Quarterfinals
EOU Sports Information
SIOUX CITY, Iowa – No. 8 Eastern Oregon University Volleyball had its season come to a close Thursday afternoon as the Mountaineers fell 3-0 (25-22, 25-20, 25-21) to the No. 1 University of Jamestown Jimmies in the NAIA National Quarterfinals. With the loss, EOU finishes the season with a 19-2 record.
How it Happened
• The Mountaineers were held to .191 hitting in the loss, while the Jimmies (30-1) hit .292 en route to the sweep. It was a close battle in kills as Jamestown had 47, while EOU finished with 46. The Jimmies had a 5-3 edge in blocks and put up three service aces, while the Mountaineers had none.
• Both teams posted double figure kills in each set, but the Jimmies were able to hit over .300 in two of the three sets, compared to just one by the Mountaineers. In the opening frame, the two squads combined for 31 kills. EOU hit .343 in the opener, while Jamestown hit .375 to start 1-0.
• It was a close battle from the get-go in the first set as neither team allowed the other to go ahead by more than 2-3 points until late. The Jimmies jumped ahead 5-3 early on before back-to-back kills from Sade Williams tied things up at 5-all.
• Jamestown managed to stay in front through the first half of the set before a 4-0 run by Eastern gave the Mountaineers a 12-9 lead at the near midway point of the first. Jet Taylor got the run started to tie it up at 9-9 and the surge was capped off by a kill from Cambree Scott.
• The Jimmies managed to keep the score within reach and battled back to within one and tied the match up a pair of times at 15-all and 16-all. Late into the frame, the two squads traded points and the lead until Jamestown created enough separation down the stretch to secure the 25-22 win.
• The second set saw the Mountaineers race out to 5-2 lead over the Jimmies. A pair of kills from Preslee Jensen and Scott helped open up the early lead for the Mountaineers. Eastern managed to lead by as much as six, 10-4, in the frame before Jamestown battled back to keep the set close.
• EOU held a 12-9 lead when Jamestown's offense finally caught a rhythm and went on a 6-1 run to grab their first lead of the frame at 15-13. EOU responded and was able to tie the set at 17-all. EOu trailed 17-14 before a Sade Williams kill and two Jimmies errors knotted the score at 17-17.
• Despite the early surge and the ability to toe things up late in the set, Eastern was held to just three points down the stretch. The Jimmies also went on a 4-0 run against the Mountaineers to jump ahead 21-17 before walking away with the 25-20 win.
• The third set was similar in its start to the first as the two squads traded points in the early onset. Tied at 5-5, Jamestown scored three straight points to go ahead 8-5 and never let the Mountaineers tie the set the rest of the way.
• At the near midway point of the frame, EOU trailed 12-8 but was able to get within two, thanks to a kill from Madison Morgan and a Jimmies error that made it a 12-10 score. Jamestown responded once again and went ahead 14-10.
• As the set went on, the Jimmies held anywhere from a 4-5 point lead over the Mountaineers. It was a 20-15 contest late in the set before Eastern made one final push at a comeback. The Mountaineers scored four straight points to get within one at 20-19, with Morgan accounting for three of the four points. The late push was not enough as EOU fell 25-21.
Mountaineers Stat Leaders
• Sade Williams posted a double-double with 11 kills and 12 digs in the match. She hit .207 and tallied one block.
• Cambree Scott also racked up 11 kills in the loss and hit .286. She had one block in the match.
• Preslee Jensen tallied nine kills and hit a team best .421.
• Madison Pilon dished out a match-high 37 assists in three sets and was one dig shy of a double-double at nine.
• Kiley McMurtrey racked up 26 digs to lead the back row.
For the Jimmies
• Taylor Sabinash led the Jamestown offense with 12 kills and hit a match-high .647 in the win.
• Kalli Hegerle posted 10 kills while hitting .333. She also posted four blocks.
• Anna Holen chipped in eight kills in the win and had 10 digs.
• Megan Gaffaney dished out 21 assists, while Jackie Meiklejohn had 19.
• Sydney Ellingson finished with a team nest 16 digs to lead the back row.
By the Numbers
11 – Both Sade Williams and Cambree Scott finished with 11 kills in two of the three matches for EOU at Nationals.
6 – The Mountaineers were held to under .200 in hitting for just the sixth time this season.
0 – Eastern did not post a single service ace in a match for the first time this season.
3 – The Mountaineers three total blocks in the loss matches a single match low for this season.
80 – Senior setter Madison Pilon finishes her career with 80 straight matches with double-digit assists.
Quotable
Head Coach Kaki McLean Morehead
Thoughts on the season with all that happened: I am so incredibly grateful for the season that we were allowed to have and also for being able to play for a National Championship. Our players took on every obstacle that was thrown at them and I was proud of how we handled everything. To be in this position and have the chance to compete at the highest level is no easy feat in a regular year and for us to be back here after everything that happened, is truly a blessing.
On the team's performance at the National Championships: Overall, I was pleased with how we played here [at the final site]. We picked up two quality wins in pool play that allowed us to get to the final bracket. We took it one match at a time and that's really all you can ask for as a coach. Today, we didn’t play our best and that is what hurts the worst. I know how good this team is and for us to not play at that high of a level was tough. That being said, I am proud of what this team did here this week and all season. That's all any coach wants is their team to compete at a high level day in and day out. We did that and I am excited for what is to come next season.
Final message to the seniors for their contributions: Words cannot express how proud I am of our seniors. To give what they have given this program over the last four years is nothing short of incredible. Each one was so selfless in everything they did, without question, all for the possibility of winning a National Championship. I am so proud of the players they have become, but also the young women that they are now. I wish them all the best in their future endeavors and each one will always have a special place in my heart for what they did to make EOU Volleyball better.
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