LA GRANDE, Ore. – Despite a season-high 14 kills from Austin Mauzy and a double-double from setter
Abigail Guinn, an upset-minded College of Idaho volleyball took Eastern Oregon to the brink, but the Mountaineers outlasted the Yotes in five sets in Quinn Coliseum.
The No. 8-ranked Mounties (10-0, 9-0 CCC) remained unbeaten in Cascade Conference play with the 24-26, 21-25, 25-22, 25-17, 15-6 home victory.
The Coyotes (4-7, 4-5) jumped out to a two sets to none lead in their first road match of the spring.
Eastern led 21-16 in Set 1, before a Mauzy kill jumpstarted a 6-0 C of I run to get the visitors within striking distance. Trailing 24-23, kills from
Danielle Neuman and
Emily Vandenberg were followed by an EOU hitting error, allowing the Yotes to steal the set win. The Coyotes used a 4-0 run in Set 2, keyed by a Neuman stuff block, to break a 17-17 tie – allowing the Purple and Gold to take the two-set lead.
The Mounties would respond – as Jet Taylor had four kills and two blocks in a Set 3 win, while the hosts took a 5-1 lead and cruised to force the winner-take-all frame.
EOU had their best hitting set of the night in the final period, swinging at a .400 clip – bolting to a 7-2 lead, with the Yotes only getting as close as 8-4.
Neuman finished with nine kills and
Cameron Wallace had seven kills and six blocks to lead the C of I offense. Guinn had 20 assists and 11 digs,
Margie Beeler had 20 assists and seven digs, with
Chloe Knudson posting 21 digs in the loss.
Taylor had 13 kills and seven blocks to lead EOU, with Madison Pilon finishing with 36 assists and Kiley McMurtrey adding 24 digs for Eastern.
The two teams close out weekend play tomorrow with a 5 p.m. (PDT) match.
