LA GRANDE, Ore. – Even without its top hitter, the sixth-ranked EOU volleyball team came together to dial in a four-set (24-26, 25-18, 25-20, 25-15) triumph over No. 24 Northwest on Saturday night at Quinn Coliseum.
Senior hitter Makayla Lindburg posted a double-double with 15 kills and 18 digs, while freshman outside hitter Megan Bunn and junior right-side hitter Isabelle Statkus added 11 kills apiece to lead EOU to its 21st victory of the 2016 campaign.
EOU’s defense was all over the place, collecting a season-high 81 digs and 10 team blocks. Sophomore libero Holli Mullins led the back row with 21 digs, while senior outside hitter Sierra Linke added 10.
As a team, the Blue and Gold (21-2, 14-1 CCC) swung for a .185 clip, while the Eagles (13-6, 10-4 CCC) hit .117 on the night.
After falling behind by four (20-16) in the first set, EOU fought back with a 7-2 run to snag a one-point (23-22) edge. Bunn put one down to lift the Mountaineers to set point (24-23), but Amanda Waterman of Northwest notched a kill and an ace amidst a 3-0 Eagle run to steal the stanza.
In the second set, Statkus and Bunn combined for four of EOU’s first eight points to help the Mountaineers to a five-point (8-3) advantage. The Eagles responded with an 11-8 burst to cut the margin to two (16-14), but senior middle hitter Kasaundra Tuma responded with two kills to spark a 9-4 run to close the set and even the match at one apiece.
The third stanza was back and forth early on before EOU recorded three-straight points to give itself some breathing room. Lindburg teamed up with junior hitter Madisen Garlie for the block assist and then hammered down a kill to extend the lead to four (23-19), and two Eagle mishaps ultimately dealt the frame to EOU, 25-20.
Two-straight kills by Bunn and another by Garlie granted EOU a 17-10 edge in the fourth set. Northwest got as close as five (19-14) before the Mountaineers launched a 5-0 run to reach match point, 24-14. Hannah Hanson booked a kill on the next play, and then Statkus earned her 11th and final kill of the match to cash in the victory.
BY THE NUMBERS
3 – Mountaineers with double-figure kills.
18-3 – Kaki McLean Morehead’s all-time record vs. Northwest.
38-0 – EOU’s regular-season home record in CCC play since 2013.
UP NEXT
EOU travels to Portland, Ore., for a match against Warner Pacific on Thursday at 7 p.m.