CALDWELL, Idaho – In the only NAIA Top-25 volleyball on the evening – No. 5-ranked Eastern Oregon rode 10.5 team blocks and six service aces to a three-set victory over No. 23-ranked College of Idaho inside the J.A. Albertson Activities Center.
The Mountaineers (22-1, 12-1 CCC) remained alone atop the Cascade Conference standings with a 25-23, 25-19, 25-18 victory.
Megan Bunn and Cambree Scott each had 11 kills and four blocks for EOU, with Jet Taylor adding seven kills and a match-high six block assists.
The Yotes (13-7, 8-5) played even with EOU in Set 1 – which featured 13 ties before a Mounties hitting error and a
Jade Warren stuff block gave C of I a 23-21. Following a timeout, a Coyote hitting error gave Eastern a side out – with a ball-handling error and a pair of Taylor blocks helping the visitors steal the frame.
Set 2 was tight throughout, with an
Ashley Pagan kill pulling C of I within 19-17, before consecutive Aspen Christiansen aces keyed a 5-0 EOU run that put the game away.
The two teams played to seven ties and four lead changes in Set 3, before two Breanna Shaffer kills started a 4-0 EOU run that gave the Mountaineers a 21-15 lead – with the Oregon squad siding-out the rest of the away for the victory.
Austyn Mauzy led the Yotes with 11 of their 41 kills, with Pagan recording nine kills and 10 digs and Warren leading the team with three blocks. Setter
Abigail Guinn had 37 assists with
Kayla Riley recording a career-high 16 digs.
Madison Pilon had 38 assists and two blocks for EOU, with Kiley McMurtrey finishing with 16 digs.
The Coyotes have a short turn-around, hosting Walla Walla tomorrow at 3 p.m. to close out a 6-match homestand.
