CORVALLIS, Ore. – The No. 2-ranked Southern Oregon University Beach Volleyball team was named the Under Armour Team of the Week for April 6 – April 12, the Cascade Collegiate Conference announced Sunday.
Southern Oregon continued its historic run, capturing the CCC Championship Tournament title after an undefeated weekend with three dual victories. The Raiders secured the automatic berth to the NAIA Invitational and extended their dominant stretch to 15 consecutive dual wins.
SOU opened the double-elimination tournament with a 3-1 win over Bushnell, fueled by straight-set victories from the No. 2 pair of Kira Sandoval and Molly Grace and the No. 5 duo of Natalie Perez and Kendal Hadwick. The clinching point came from the No. 3 pair of Andressa Ribeiro Soares and Maelle Garon, who continued to deliver in high-pressure moments.
Weather delays pushed the featured matchup against No. 3-ranked Corban University, making the teams compete twice on Friday. The Raiders clinched both victories in dramatic 3-2 fashion. In the semifinal and championship duals, Ribeiro Soares and Garon sealed the wins, including a clutch 22-20 second-set finish in the title match to avoid a tiebreaker and secure the tournament title.
SOU’s depth proved critical throughout the tournament, with key contributions from the No. 2 pair of Sandoval and Grace and the No. 4 pair of Amanda Moffat and Kaitlyn Shilling, who consistently helped the Raiders build early leads in duals. Corban’s No. 1 and No. 5 pairs accounted for their points, but the Raiders controlled the middle flights to claim the crown.
With the championship, Southern Oregon improved to 19-2 overall and completed a remarkable three-week stretch that included a regular season title, a program-best national ranking, and their first CCC Tournament Championship. The Raiders now turn their focus to the NAIA Invitational, riding one of the longest active win streaks in the country.