Lady Yotes Rally, Top Tech in CCC Opener
CALDWELL, Idaho – Battling back after losing the opening set, the College of Idaho trailed for just one point the rest of the night, fueling off a boisterous crowd to top Oregon Tech in four sets in the Cascade Conference volleyball opener for both teams inside the J.A. Albertson Activities Center.
The No. 7 ranked Lady Yotes (6-3, 1-0 CCC) recorded their best attack percentage of the season (.306) in the 19-25, 25-12, 25-18, 25-17 victory over the Owls – their 21st-straight win in the series.
Three C of I players had 14 or more kills and four posted double-digit digs in the victory.
OIT (5-3, 0-1) had a big opening set, building a 18-12 lead following a lift on the Yotes, only to see C of I get a pair of combo-blocks and two Jackie van Vliet kills in a 7-1 push to square the set. Tech answered in a big way, as Chase Bohman ripped a winner and Jaime Toedtemeier capped the 6-0 surge with consecutive aces to end the set.
The Yotes weathered the storm – dominating Set 2 behind four kills each from van Vliet and Pagan. Set 3 belonged to van Vliet, recording kills on all five of her swings, including two in a 6-1 push that broke open a 7-6 score. The hosts capped the night with an eight-point run on the serve of freshman Kayla Riley, taking a 15-6 lead to cruise to the win.
Pagan recorded her eighth-straight double-double, finishing with 19 kills and 17 digs, while van Vliet had 15 kills on just 21 swings, adding four blocks. Taylor Alexander had 14 kills and 18 digs; Marija Djonovic logged six kills, 50 assists, 12 digs, three blocks and three aces; with Drew Dobney leading all players with 21 digs.
Bohman led OIT with 13 kills and 12 digs, with Toedtemeier posting 30 assists, 10 digs and three aces.
C of I closes out the weekend with a match-up against unbeaten Southern Oregon tomorrow night at 7 p.m.