KLAMATH FALLS, Ore. - Sofia Anxo had a career-high 14 kills, helping The College of Idaho survive an upset bid by Oregon Tech, as the Lady Yotes rallied for a 17-25, 25-27, 25-19, 25-14, 15-11 victory inside Danny Miles Court.
Box Score
The win by the No. 15 Yotes (8-4, 5-0 CCC) was their fifth in a row, setting up a first-place showdown tomorrow night at Southern Oregon.
OIT (7-9, 0-4) fell behind in Set 1, 8-3 - but took control midway through the period, using a 7-2 run, keyed by two Marlee Smith kills, to grab a 13-11 lead. Smith added another spike in a six-point push that put the set away.
Set 2 saw 11 ties and a quartet of comebacks - as the Yotes used four-straight points, including two Anxo kills, to take a 16-15 lead. The Owls tried to salt the game away with a pair of Jennifer Saltenberger kills in a 7-2 run that gave Tech set point at 24-21. The Yotes would respond, getting a side out on a service error, a Sierra Porter ace, and force two OIT hitting errors to get their own set point, but Tech rattled off three straight points, the last on a Saltenbeger kill, to take the commanding lead.
The Yotes finally found rhythm in Set 3 and Set 4 - as Anxo and Liz Myers each had four kills in Set 3, as The C of I bolted out to a 14-7 lead and cruised, while Torrey Hulsey had four kills in Set 4, as the visitors scored 13 of the first 17 points of the set.
Set 5 saw four ties, the last at 11-11, before the Yotes experience paid off. Kills by Hulsey and Jessica Peacock, along with two OIT hitting errors, gave The C of I the win.
Hulsey had 12 kills and three aces in the victory, while Myers added 12 kills and a team-high five blocks. Porter had 43 assists, eight digs, and four blocks, while Janel Porter led the Yotes with 23 digs.
Kara Young led OIT, who lost at home for the first time this season, with 14 kills, with Kristen Walters recording 11 kills. Kayleigh Whelchel had 20 assists to lead the Owls, with Marie Baumann leading the team with 14 digs.
