ASHLAND, Ore. – Closing the match on a 6-1 run, No. 14 ranked Southern Oregon thwarted a comeback bid by the College of Idaho, as the Raiders topped the rival Yotes in 25-21, 25-23, 21-25, 25-23, inside Riehm Arena.
After the Yotes (8-8, 5-2 CCC) grabbed the third set, the visitors were poised to force a winner-take-all final frame. A 9-2 surge, including two Emilee Chapman aces and three Kylie Porter kills, gave C of I a 19-12 in Set 4. SOU () forced three hitting errors and got three Paulla Pinheiro kills to draw even at 22-22, with a Motade Atanda kill, a service ace, and a C of I error ending the match.
The two teams played close throughout – Southern using a pair of Emma Gasman aces in a three-point run in Set 1 to extend a 20-19 lead. Set 2 saw the Yotes get two kills each by Emily Ottinger and Katy Robinson to build a 13-6 lead, but the Raiders took advantage of three consecutive C of I hitting errors to regain the lead an 18-17, closing out the set on a Atanda kill.
C of I jumped to a 8-1 lead in Set 3, riding four kills by Robinson and three from Bailee Kendall to extend the match – before the wild fourth set.
Robinson led the Yotes with 13 kills, with Ottinger adding 11 kills and three blocks, and Porter recording 10 kills and five blocks. Sierra Porter recorded seven kills, five blocks, and 36 assists, with Kilee Lopez recording a team-high 15 digs. C of I tied a season high with 10 aces, including a career-high five from Kathyn Nasburg.
Atanda had 17 kills and 11 digs for SOU, with Pinheiro adding 15 kills and 10 digs. Setter Lauren McGowne recorded 46 assists, with libero Brookelynn Cole logging a match-high 24 digs.
C of I returns to action next weekend, starting a string of four-straight home matches with tilts against Warner Pacific and Concordia.
