REDDING, Calif. – The College of Idaho beach volleyball team split its final day of the Redhawk Cascade Collegiate Conference tournament action in Redding on Saturday, sweeping Simpson before falling to Southern Oregon to close out the weekend at the Redding Sports Complex.
The Yotes (4-4 CCC) opened the day with a commanding 5-0 victory over Simpson, earning wins on all five courts.
Greta Valaika and Liza Montalbo set the tone on the No. 1 court with a straight-set win over Kimora McKenzie and Brooklyn Jimenez, 21-17, 21-18. Sophia White and Carolina Moreno-Rubio followed with a 21-17, 21-17 victory at the No. 2 match against Tiara Manns and Emilly Melo.
Faith Faucher and Ellie Baker cruised at No. 3, defeating Elizabeth Heath and Brooke Sarahina 21-13, 21-14, while Kelsy Stanger and Jayva Andersen secured another straight-set win at No. 5, 21-14, 21-6, over Kiersti Howell and Sylus Moore.
The most competitive contest came on the No. 4 court, where Emily Lettenmaier and Kadance Jacobson rallied after dropping the opening set to defeat Kare Ann Oshiro and Mackenzie Tataryn, 24-26, 21-14, 15-13.
Southern Oregon handed the Yotes a 5-0 loss in the afternoon dual.
Valaika and Montalbo fell in straight sets on the top court to Tessa Zimmerman and Grace Gulbrandsen, while the No. 2 pairing of White and Moreno-Rubio pushed their match to three sets before Kira Sandoval and Molly Grace pulled away in the decisive frame.
The Raiders also earned straight-set wins at the No. 3, No. 4 and No. 5 matches to complete the sweep.
College of Idaho returns home next weekend for its only home contests of the season, hosting a Cascade Collegiate Conference weekend in Caldwell.
