FULLERTON, Calif. – In their final non-conference tune-ups of the 2022 regular season, the Corban University Women’s Volleyball team (7-1, 0-0) left no doubt that they will be contending for a Cascade Collegiate Conference crown once again, defeating No. 24 Dordt College (2-2, 0-0) via 25-22, 25-27, 25-15, and 25-23 final set scores, before subduing a late (RV) Westmont College (1-2, 0-0) rally to earn a hard-fought five set win, 25-20, 21-25, 25-16, 18-25, and 15-6.
“It was a great weekend learning who we are while facing many big and scrappy opponents,” Corban Head Coach Kim McLain shared. “I was proud of the team playing together as a unit in order to accomplish their goals.”
“We’re looking forward to getting back in the gym in order to prepare for the tough CCC schedule that begins next week,” McLain explained.
GAME 1
Facing their fourth NAIA Top 25 team in the last week, the Warriors knew from experience that Dordt would provide yet another quality opponent at the HIU Summer Slam, and that they would have to find consistency early if they wanted to walk out of Fullerton with another win in the non-conference schedule.
Set one proved both of those concepts to be true, as the Defenders exchanged kill-for-kill with the Warriors early in the set, and even led 5-4 against Corban. However, the Warriors found the consistent offensive pressure that they had in yesterday’s double-header victories to grow a sizeable lead against Dordt, and even a late Defender rally couldn’t stop Corban from taking set number one 25-22.
Corban began the second set on an electric 5-0 run, which showed the Warriors’ true potential in all areas of the game. Those five points consisted of two kills, a service ace, and an assisted block before the pressure forced the Defenders’ attackers into committing errors.
However, the Defenders would go on to stage a late set comeback, scoring seven of the last 10 points to squeak out a 27-25 set two victory, and even this contest at a set apiece for Corban and Dordt.
After letting the Defenders crawl back and steal a set under their hands, the Warriors wasted no time making up for the set loss in the third set, jumping out to an early 14-7 lead, and never looking back en route to a 25-15 win in set number three. Senior outside hitter Avari Ridgway earned a fifth of the Warriors’ points in set three by smashing five kills.
The fourth set is where the competition took a step up in a major way, as a 13-9 Warriors’ lead would be the largest point margin the remainder of the set, with the Defenders fighting back following a called timeout to take a 17-18 lead.
Back-and-forth the two teams went, neither willing to budge until the 21-all tie was broke with back-to-back-to-back Corban points via a kill from freshman opposite hitter Makayla Roginski, followed by two Dordt attacking errors to give the Warriors a 24-21 advantage. Freshman outside hitter Kylie Davis completed the match point one rotation later with a kill from senior setter Jadyn Mullen, closing out their third NAIA Top 25 win of the non-conference slate, 25-23 the final set score.
Ridgway and Troutman once again had their way with another formidable defense, as Ridgway dropped a game-high 18 kills with eight digs, and Troutman balanced both offensive and defensive duties with 12 kills and 13 digs.
Senior libero Kealani Ontai was all over the court for Corban in game one, earning her first double-double of the season with a whopping 27 digs and 15 assists, trailing only Mullen in dimes who had 16 to lead the Warriors.
Outside hitter Corrina Timmermans was the only Defender to reach double-digit kills with 10 this afternoon, while nearly achieving a double-double with nine digs. Libero Makenna Kooima earned a game-high 30 digs, and earned 12 assists to secure the only double-double on the squad.
GAME 2
The final game of the HIU Summer Slam proved to be the most difficult for Corban, as Westmont consistently provides a solid lineup in women’s volleyball every year, with this year being no different.
The battle of the Warriors began with a tightly contested opening set, with neither side willing to waiver early on. Corban was able to take advantage of a 9-5 run midway through set number one, forcing Westmont to call both of their available timeouts in an 18-12 Corban lead. A myriad of service and attacking errors from Westmont and kills from Troutman, Roginski, and Ridgway sealed away the 25-20 set one win.
Westmont would walk away from set two with a 25-21 win thanks to winning the battle of the hot streaks, with both Warrior clubs posting 5+ point runs that shifted the moment back-and-forth with no clear victor in sight. With the 22-21 advantage, Westmont ran the table for another three points in a row, and thus tying this contest at a set apiece.
Both Warrior clubs were desperate to take the 2-1 set advantage with a win in set number three, but a late Corban run where the fans at Darling Pavilion saw two kills from Davey, a service ace from senior opposite hitter Ally Schmidt, and a kill from sophomore middle blocker Allyson Reid one after another to crowd Westmont into an uncomfortable 15-23 deficit. Back-to-back Troutman kills concluded the 25-16 Corban set win.
With their backs against the wall, the Westmont Warriors turned up the intensity to begin set number four, taking advantage of eight Corban attacking errors in a 17-point window to lead 13-4. Corban was able to climb back to within a 16-19 margin late in the set, but the unlikely amount of attacking errors put them in too much of a hole to dig themselves out of, and ultimately sending everyone to a fifth and final set with a 25-18 set four score in favor of Westmont.
Fifteen points is all that separated the two NAIA Warrior schools in this Top 25 matchup, and Corban scored over half of that requirement in the first nine opportunities of set number five. After exchanging opening serve points, Corban went on a 7-0 run to swap sides of the court, and force Westmont into an unreachable position that they had not yet encountered this evening. Try as they might, the Westmont Warriors managed to score another five points, but Corban was the first to reach the 15-6 set final to escape Fullerton with a perfect 4-0 tourney record.
Troutman put together yet another outstanding performance on both sides of the court, dealing a game-high 19 kills and backing it up defensively with 13 digs for another double-double. Ridgway concluded her evening with an even 15 kills and 15 digs, and Mullen concluded the trio of Corban double-doubles with a game-high 27 assists and adding 11 digs.
Ridgway, Schmidt, Reid, and Roginski formed an impenetrable wall for the Warriors tonight, earning a total of 16 blocks between the four of them. Ontai trailed the game-high in digs by just one with 25 in the nightcap contest, and sophomore setter Courtney Garwood dealt out 13 dimes and dug out six digs.
Westmont outside hitter Phoebe Minch earned player of the game for her squad by receiving a game-high 26 digs, while also leading her team offensively with 13 digs. Middle hitter Taylor Distelberg nearly earned a double-double with kills (10) and blocks (6), and setter Keelyn Kistner tied the team-high in assists (21) and worked for 10 digs in the backcourt.
The Warriors return home to Salem for quite possibly the most anticipated matchup of conference play this season, with Corban hosting No. 12 Eastern Oregon University in the C.E. Jeffers Sports Complex on Friday, September 2nd at 7pm PDT for both school’s opening conference match, and the first rematch since last year’s CCC Tournament Championship game.
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