COMING UP: Host C of I/EOU Fall Classic – Friday vs. Montana Western, 3 p.m., vs. The Master's, 7 p.m.; Saturday vs. Carroll, 11 a.m., vs. No. 5 Dordt, 7 p.m.
COMPLETE WEEKLY MEDIA NOTEBOOK
LIVE VIDEO / LIVE STATS: All matches at the C of I/EOU Fall Classic will be carried live on the
Yotes Digital Network (PPV - $9.00 per game, $25.00 for a tournament pass, $45.00 for a season pass) with Mike Safford calling the action, while Live Stats will be available through the
C of I SIDEARM Stats Portal.
TICKETS / COVID PROTOCOLS: Tickets for the 3-day tournament are $10 per match or $20 for a tournament pass. All spectators, regardless of vaccination status, will be required to wear a mask at all times while inside the J.A. Albertson Activities Center, per the Cascade Conference COVID-19 policy.
HOME TOURNAMENTS: For the third-straight year, C of I has played host to a home tournament – as in 2019, the Yotes hosted a Labor Day Classic and last season, hosted a pair of Cascade Conference regular-season round-robin pods. This year, co-hosts C of I and No. 6 ranked Eastern Oregon will welcome two Frontier Conference teams (Montana Western and Carroll), along with two high-caliber out of region teams (No. 5 ranked Dordt and The Master's). From 1996 to 2003, C of I hosted their annual Blocktoberfest, posting a combined 21-6 record in those eight events – including unbeaten records in 1997 and 1999. In 2012 and 2019, the Yotes opened the season at home – going 2-1 each season in those tournament matches – before splitting eight matches last year in the CCC pods.
WEEKEND SCHEDULE: Thursday – Montana Western vs. Eastern Oregon, 7 p.m. Friday – Eastern Oregon vs. Carroll, 9 a.m.; Montana Western vs. The Master's, 11 a.m.; Eastern Oregon vs. Dordt, 1 p.m.; C of I vs. Montana Western, 3 p.m.; Carroll vs. Dordt, 5 p.m.; C of I vs. The Master's, 7 p.m. Saturday – Eastern Oregon vs. The Master's, 9 a.m.; C of I vs. Carroll, 11 a.m.; Dordt vs. Montana Western, 1 p.m.; The Master's vs. Carroll, 3 p.m.; C of I vs. Dordt, 7 p.m.
FRIDAY OPPONENTS: The Yotes open the weekend with a match-up against Frontier Conference foe, Montana Western, as the Bulldogs (3-16 in 2020) open their season in Caldwell. Western looks to end a 7-match losing streak dating back to last season, led by senior outside hitter Cady Siemion (2.84 k/s, 3.88 d/s), middle blocker Emmah Peterson (1.80 k/s, 0.97 b/s) and setter Abbey Schwager (8.50 a/s, 2.41 d/s, 0.31 b/s). It marks the first time the Bulldogs have played in Caldwell since 2003. Day 1 closes against Golden State Athletic Conference power, The Master's, as the Mustangs (1-3) are receiving votes in the preseason NAIA Top-25 poll. TMU opened the season at the HIU SummerSlam, defeating UC Merced, but dropping matches to Embry-Riddle, St. Katherine and Corban. Emily Clark (2.60 k/s, 1.67 d/s), Emilye Grace Williams (2.13 k/s, 1.87 d/s, 9 aces) and Faith Tarver (2.07 k/s, 0.33 b/s) lead the team offensively, along with setter Natalie Collins (7.53 a/s, 1.67 d/s). It is the first-ever meeting between the teams in Caldwell.
SATURDAY OPPONENTS: Day 2 begins with a regional match-up against Carroll College, as the Saints (3-1) were picked to finish fourth in the Frontier Conference preseason poll – posting wins last weekend at the Big Sky Challenge over Dickinson State, Northwest and No. 8 ranked Grand View. Carroll is paced by three key offensive threats – Taelyr Krantz (3.07 k/s, 1.43 b/s), Lexi Mikkelsen (2.00 k/s) and Elizabeth Heuiser (1.92 k/s, 1.41 b/s), along with libero Julia Carr (4.71 d/s). Tournament play ends on Saturday night against defending national semifinalist Dordt from Sioux Center, Iowa. The Defenders (18-7 in 2019) return outside hitter Corrina Timmermans (2.44 k/s, 2.20 d/s, 31 aces), middle blocker Brenna Krommendyk (2.47 k/s, 1.37 b/s) and right side hitter Allison Timmermans (2.65 k/s, 0.63 b/s). It marks the first-ever meeting between the Yotes and the Great Plains Athletic Conference school.
HOME COURT SUCCESS: Since October of 2005, C of I has posted a 170-26 record at home – including a 73-match Cascade Conference win streak – with the team 261-62 all-time in the arena. Head coach
Liz Mendiola has recorded a home record of 209-36 in her 20 seasons as head coach
A MARK OF CONSISTENCY: The Yotes have been one of the premier volleyball programs in the Northwest, recording 20 or more victories 19 times, including 12 of the past 15 seasons. C of I has won 25 or more matches 12 different times, with the 2006 team setting the school record with 35 victories.
COYOTES SPLIT MATCHES IN CALIFORNIA: Opening the season less than two weeks after the start of fall camp, C of I traveled south to play at the always competitive SummerSlam Tournament. The Yotes split matches both days in California – sweeping two matches against the top-two California Pacific Conference teams, but dropping matches to Golden State Athletic Conference clubs. In their opener against No. 8-ranked Westmont, C of I bolted to a 2-set lead, only to see it evaporate in a tough loss. The Yotes dominated matches against St. Katherine and Cal Pac champ, Benedictine Mesa, but struggled in a 3-set loss to host Hope International. For the tournament, C of I hit at a .212 clip and average 2.1 blocks per set – both well above their spring season averages, but had 42 service errors and allowed 31 aces.
BIG PRODUCTION FROM THE RIGHT SIDE: The key throughout the tournament was the numbers the Coyotes received from their opposite hitters – as senior
Danielle Neuman and true freshman
Leyah de Souza each put up consistent and impressive numbers. Neuman posted at least six kills and two blocks in all four matches, including 14 kills in the opener against Westmont, while de Souza had 10 kills in her C of I debut and finished the weekend averaging 2.07 kills and 0.60 blocks per set.
MIDDLES CONTROL THE NET: C of I's block was key in both of their victories – much of the production coming from the middle.
Cameron Wallace was a big part of the success, leading the team with 15 blocks in the tournament, including three matches with 4-or-more stuffs, while fellow middle,
Jade Warren, added seven blocks of her own.
VANDENBERG LOGS CAREER HIGHS: It was a big weekend for
Emily Vandenberg, as the sophomore played six rotations throughout the trip – posting career best numbers across the board. The outside hitter posted eight kills in both Tuesday matches and after a tough morning vs. Hope International, rebounded with a career-high 14 kills on 30 swings against Benedictine Mesa. Defensively, Vandenberg recorded three matches with double-digit digs, including 11 vs. Westmont, while logging a career-best five aces in the win over BenU.
MAUZY SERVES IT UP: The Yotes other six-rotation player,
Austyn Mauzy, filled up the stat sheet – averaging 2.27 kills and 1.93 digs per set in the four matches, adding four blocks – recording double-digit kills against both Hope International and Benedictine Mesa. The senior was key at the service line – leading C of I with 11 aces on the weekend – including one ace in each match – posting four aces in the win over St. Katherine.
COMBS DEBUTS AT LIBERO: Division II transfer,
Isabelle Combs, made her C of I debut in California, starting as the Yotes libero – and immediately made an impact. Combs posted 25 digs in the 5-set loss to Westmont and finished the trip averaging a team-best 4.43 digs per set, while adding 22 assists and five aces.
AROUND THE CONFERENCE: Both Corban and Lewis-Clark State had banner starts to the season – Corban going a perfect 6-0 in California – including two wins over a Top-10 Westmont team – and LC going 4-0 on a trip to the Midwest. Three teams – Oregon Tech, Southern Oregon and Bushnell – all opened with home wins, while at the Big Sky Challenge in Montana, Eastern Oregon posted a 2-2 mark and Northwest went 0-4. Two other CCC teams will open their seasons this week, as Warner Pacific and Multnomah will square off in Portland.
PRESEASON POLLS: The C of I was picked to finish fifth in the 12-team Cascade Conference, as the 2021 Preseason Coaches' Poll was released Aug. 5 by the league office. The Yotes, who finished 5-11 during the COVID shortened spring season, received 95 voter points from the league coaches. Defending champion, Eastern Oregon, claimed eight first-place votes and was the preseason favorite, with Corban and Southern Oregon each receiving two first-place votes and grabbed the No. 2 and No. 3 positions. Bushnell was picked fourth, with Oregon Tech just behind C of I in sixth place. Three CCC teams were ranked in the initial NAIA Top-25 poll – No. 6 Eastern Oregon, No. 15 Corban and No. 25 Southern Oregon.
RECORD BOOK: Both
Abigail Guinn and
Margie Beeler open the season ranked in the Top-25 of the C of I career record book. Guinn ranks No. 10 in assists (1,213), with Beeler No. 13 in assists (607).
LOOKING AHEAD: The Yotes open up the Cascade Conference schedule next weekend – the first of 5-straight conference home matches to start the 2021 slate – meeting Corban and Bushnell in the Activities Center.
