LA GRANDE, Ore. – The College of Idaho Yotes fought hard but came up short against the third-ranked Eastern Oregon Mountaineers, losing in straight sets (29-27, 25-18, 25-20) Wednesday night at Quinn Coliseum. Despite a valiant effort, the Yotes couldn't overcome EOU's powerful offense, falling to 7-8 on the season and 3-4 in the Cascade Collegiate Conference (CCC).
How It Happened:
The Yotes showed grit and determination in the opening set, taking the No. 3 Mountaineers to the limit. Kills by Alexa Wheeler and Janae Rayborn kept the match tight, while Haley McUne's timely plays gave the Yotes a fighting chance. College of Idaho even held set point at 27-26, but a late surge by Eastern Oregon allowed them to sneak away with the 29-27 win.
In the second set, the Yotes faced a formidable Mountaineer attack that hit an impressive .375. Despite McUne leading the charge with seven kills and strong assists from Savannah Hutchins, Eastern Oregon's defense at the net, led by Ashton Bales and Emma Burlingame, stifled the Yotes' attempts to rally, resulting in a 25-18 set loss.
College of Idaho refused to go quietly in the third set, matching EOU point for point early on. Mia Hutchinson stepped up with key kills, and McUne continued her strong performance, but the Mountaineers' depth and size advantage ultimately proved too much as the Yotes dropped the final set 25-20.
The Yotes left it all on the court against one of the nation's top teams and will aim to regroup as they continue CCC play.
