LA GRANDE, Ore. – A rivalry already known for its intensity reached another level Wednesday night, as No. 1 Eastern Oregon Volleyball and No. 4 College of Idaho met as the Cascade Collegiate Conference's final two undefeated teams, with sole possession of the conference's No. 1 spot on the line. In front of a packed Quinn Coliseum, Mountie Nation showed out in full force, filling the gym and bringing energy from the opening serve. The Mountaineers fed off the home-court atmosphere, coming out on top with a 3-1 (21-25, 25-20, 25-15, 25-8) victory to hand the Yotes their first loss of the season while remaining undefeated themselves.
The Mountaineers came out quickly, scoring the first four points of the match behind kills from Brooke Womack and Keira Vaughn and a pair of College of Idaho attack errors. The Yotes answered, however, and gradually settled into the set. EOU held a 12-10 advantage before College of Idaho shifted the momentum. After tying the set at 12-12, the Mountaineers used a three-point run to regain the lead before the Yotes tied it again at 17-17 on three EOU errors. The teams remained even at 20-20 before College of Idaho scored five of the final six points to take the opening set, 25-21.
The Mountaineers immediately responded in the second set, opening with a 2-0 lead on kills from Womack and Akylah Kaino. College of Idaho answered with a 6-1 stretch to take a 6-3 lead, but EOU steadily chipped away. A Sidney Friesen ace helped the Mountaineers pull even at 7-7 before the Yotes regained a one-point edge. The set remained tight through the middle stages. EOU tied the score at 12-12 on a Kaino kill before a Villastrigo ace pushed the Mountaineers ahead 15-13. Another Kaino kill made it 16-13, but College of Idaho responded to pull within 18-17. EOU came through late, as Womack and Stella Koch helped extend the lead, with Koch delivering consecutive kills to make it 23-18. After the Yotes scored twice, Womack finished the frame with a kill to give EOU a 25-20 win and even the match at one set apiece.
The third set began with another tight exchange, but EOU gradually established control. After College of Idaho pulled within 10-9, the Mountaineers erupted for a 9-0 run that shifted the momentum for the remainder of the match. Mylie Mills started the surge with a kill, followed by another Villastrigo service ace and kills from Vaughn, while Jule Whitley and Kaino contributed kills and blocks. Villastrigo capped the burst with another ace to put EOU ahead 19-9. College of Idaho briefly slowed the run with four straight points, but the Mountaineers quickly regained control. Kaino, Vaughn, Womack and Koch supplied key kills down the stretch, and Madison Vaughn closed the set with a service ace as EOU took it, 25-15.
The fourth set belonged to the Mountaineers from the start. Womack and Vaughn combined for three early kills, while a Vaughn block and a College of Idaho attack error helped EOU race to a 5-0 lead. After the Yotes finally got on the board, Villastrigo recorded back-to-back aces, followed by kills from Whitley and Vaughn, as EOU stretched its advantage to 10-2. A Kaino kill, a Whitley-Koch block and an Ava Semprimoznik service ace helped EOU push the lead to 14-3. The Yotes put another point on the board, but the Mountaineers responded with five consecutive points on kills from Whitley and Koch and a Whitley-Womack block, moving ahead 19-4. Womack, Mills, Koch and Kaino continued to deliver as the lead stretched to 24-5. Vaughn then provided the final blow, finishing the match with a kill to give EOU a 25-8 fourth-set victory and the 3-1 comeback win.
Womack and Kate Stidham each recorded a double-double. Womack finished with 12 kills and 10 digs, adding two block assists and four assists, while Stidham recorded 26 assists and 17 digs. Vaughn led all players with 16 kills while hitting .310 and adding two block assists. Villastrigo kept the Mountaineers rolling with 12 digs and six service aces. Whitley led EOU defensively with four block assists, while Koch added three.
As a team, EOU hit .326 while holding the Yotes to a .103 hitting percentage. The Mountaineers also held advantages in kills (58-41), aces (9-4), blocks (7-3), assists (54-35) and digs (64-56).
With the win, the Mountaineers improve to 20-0 overall and 9-0 in CCC play, keeping their perfect record intact after the four-set comeback. Eastern Oregon will return to action Saturday, going on the road to face Warner Pacific at 4 p.m. PT.