KLAMATH FALLS – The No. 17-ranked Southern Oregon volleyball team won its eighth consecutive matchup with rival Oregon Tech in straight sets on Thursday, 25-21, 25-18, 27-25 in a Cascade Conference tilt at Danny Miles Court.
Friley Curtiss had nine kills and, after rallying back from a 24-22 deficit in the third set, the Raiders improved to 11-4 overall and 3-2 in the CCC. The sweep was their fifth of the year.
Curtiss, who has logged 36 kills in her last four matches, only took 17 swings to reach her total. Duda Leite, the other right-side hitter in SOU's rotation, poured in eight kills on 18.
The Owls (7-6, 1-4) entered the match with the second-highest block rate in the NAIA and were right above their average with 11 in the match. But the Raiders thwarted their attack, which landed on a .044 average – their lowest in 10 outings.
Maelle Garon's 14 digs and Katie White's nine pushed the floor defense, and at the net Marian Vega Castro assisted four of the Raiders' eight blocks. White put down two service aces, and Vega Castro also provided six kills without an error on eight attempts.
With the Raiders facing set point in the third, kills from Vega Castro and Maya Watters and an errant OIT attack turned the tables. A serve into the net tied the score before Duda Leite gave the lead back to SOU and the Owls hit their final try outside the lines.
Middle Aleksen Thayer led OIT with four kills and seven blocks. She was the only Owl with at least four kills and an attacking average better than .100.
Isabelle Foote (21 assists, 6 digs) and Annie Hite (18 assists) were the catalysts of SOU's .147 attack.
The Raiders are back home at 4 p.m. Saturday to play winless Warner Pacific.