SPOKANE, Wash. – The Eastern Oregon University volleyball team swept Westminster (Utah), 3-0 (25-21, 25-11, 25-20), on Thursday evening at the Sport Travel Northwest Challenge.
Casey Loper led the way for the Mountaineers as she recorded a match high, 16 kills. The Mountaineers compiled a hitting percentage of .235 percent and held the Griffins to a hitting percentage of .092.
Westminster jumped out to an early lead over EOU, after an attack error by
Amanda Miller gave the Griffins a 6-2 lead. However, the lead did not last long for Westminster as the Mountaineers answered back and tied the game at 11-11.
With the game tied at 11, the Mountaineers took control and built a five point, 18-13 lead after an attack error by Westminster. Westminster cut the lead down to three points, 23-21, but that would be as close as the Mountaineers would let Westminster get. A
Rachelle Chamberlain kill gave EOU set one, 25-21.
Eastern Oregon wasted little time in the second set to pull away from Westminster. EOU scored the first four points of the second set and never looked back. The Mountaineers continued to pull away and after a kill by
Emily Nay, the Mountaineers led 10-3. EOU continued to grow its lead and took an 18-5 lead after a Griffins attack error. EOU would take set 2, 25-11, and take a 2-0 lead over the Griffins.
Westminster jumped out to an early 6-2 lead after an attack error by
Amanda Miller in the third set. However, the Mountaineers answered right back and tied the game at 6-6, 7-7 and 8-8. Westminster continued to lead and extended it back to 11-8.
The Mountaineers continued to battle back and tied the set at 11-11 after an attack error by Tara Gregory. After that EOU took control of the set and built its lead up to six points, 20-14. The Griffins did not threaten again and EOU took set three, 25-20, and the match 3-0.
The Mountaineers return to the court tomorrow for the second day of the Sport Travel Northwest Challenge when they face University of Great Falls at 10 a.m. They also play MSU-Northern at 4 p.m.