Oregon Tech setter Sarah Svedin recorded 43 assists to close out her collegiate volleyball career. (photo by Kelly Caleb)
Upset Bid Falls Short For Oregon Tech
KLAMATH FALLS, Ore. – Oregon Tech tied the match up at 1-1, and had chances to win 3 and 4, but sixth-ranked College of Idaho was too much to overcome as the Owls dropped the four-set match to the Yotes 3-1 (25-18, 23-25, 25-23, 25-23) tonight at Danny Miles Court.
Oregon Tech, along with five seniors who were honored after tonight’s match, ended the 2011 season with a 13-12 overall mark and finished 7-11 in conference play. College of Idaho heads to the postseason with a 22-2 mark and finished CCC regular season action at 17-1.
After falling behind 11-6, Oregon Tech crept back to within a point, 17-16, on a Jennifer Saltenberger kill, however, the home team never got closer as the Yotes knocked out 8 of the next 10 points to take the opener 25-18.
Set 2 saw Oregon Tech jump out to a 13-5 advantage, aided by five C of I attack errors in the run. Tech moved out to a 19-11 lead before the Yotes ran off five-straight. C of I continued to chip away, trailing 24-23 before senior Joey Parnell closed out the set to give the Owls a 25-23 set 2 win.
After OIT trailed 14-4, it was the Owls turn to chip at the lead, methodically pulling to within one, 24-23, but a C of I Kylee Nawahine kill would end the set and give the Yotes a 2-1 advantage.
The Owls would not go away easy as the teams went back-and-forth throughout in set 4. Tech would take a 14-11 lead midway through before the Yotes would reclaim the lead, after scoring seven of the next eight points, to regain the lead 18-15. Two Mindy Nalder kills, along with a Kayleigh Whelchel ace quickly tied the set at 21-21, but C of I scored the next two to lead 23-21. Tech held serve down 24-23, but a Danielle Montalbo kill ended the set and match.
Oregon Tech’s Joey Parnell finished with a double-double 13 kills and 11 digs. Mindy Nalder added a double-double with 12 kills and 11 digs, while Kai Evans-Bautista and Jen Saltenberger finished with 9 kills and Aurora Penoyar with 8. Sarah Svedin recorded a match-high 43 kills to go with 5 digs and 2 aces, while Krystie Vea added 25 digs.
College of Idaho’s Ciciley Fox recorded a match-high 15 kills, followed by 13 from Danielle Montalbo and 12 by Kylee Nawahine. Kelsey Soos finished with 36 assists and Whitney Brigham a match-high 27 digs.