The rivalry between The College of Idaho and Eastern Oregon University is one of the oldest not only in the Cascade Collegiate Conference but in the NAIA as well.
Unfortunately for the Mountaineers, COI has quite a lead in the all-time series. The 'Yotes have won 58 of the 78 meetings over EOU, including the last 29 consecutive over Eastern. The first meeting between the
two programs came in 1982.
The College of Idaho enters the match ranked seventh in the NAIA and is the only team in the Cascade Conference undefeated in league play at 6-0. The 'Yotes lone loss in 2009 came in their first match to No. 2 Concordia-Irvine in five games. COI has defeated two ranked opponents during its nine-match win streak, No. 16 Lewis-Clark State, 3-2, and No. 21 Southern Oregon, 3-2. The other seven victories have been 3-0 finals in favor of The College of Idaho.
Last season the Mountaineers faced The College of Idaho three times and lost nine out of the 11 games played with the 'Yotes. Prior to last season Eastern fell 12 out of the 13 games played against COI in 2006 and 2007.
In 2008 the EOU won the first game in Caldwell, 25-21, on Sept. 16. The 'Yotes bounced back and won the next game, 25-20. The College of Idaho eased past Eastern Oregon in Games 3 and 4, 25-16 and 25-11. Haley McEnroe had 12 kills for EOU in the loss and Jessica Lea had a team-high 16 assists. COI swept the Mountaineers in La Grande, 25-18, 25-20 and 25-19, on Nov. 4. Eastern's Grace Deboodt had 10 kills and 12 digs and Lea added 12 assists.
Ten days later the 'Yotes met Eastern Oregon in the conference semifinals and The College of Idaho
jumped out to a 2-0 lead after a pair of 25-21 victories. EOU held off COI in the third game, 27-25, before falling 25-12 in Game 4. Lea had 12 kills, 16 assists and 12 digs in the season ending loss. The College of Idaho eventually ended its season in the National Tournament in Sioux City, Iowa after winning its third straight conference championships. The 'Yotes ended the season at 24-10 ranked No. 19.
The College of Idaho has advanced to the conference postseason tournament seven straight times, the NAIA regional tournament four consecutive times and the NAIA Championships in 2005, 2006 and 2008. The 'Yotes head coach, Liz Mendiola, begins her ninth season and has amassed a record of 185-74 while at the helm. COI had the best season in its program's history in 2006 compiling a record of 35-4.
This season The College of Idaho is led by a solid group of upper-classmen and three different Lady 'Yotes have already been named CCC Players of the Week at their respective positions. Madie Machurek has been named conference setter of the week twice this season. The junior is third in the conference averaging 6.3 assists per game. Whitney Owen returns for her junior season after being named libero of the week five times last season in the conference. The Caldwell, Idaho native has been named
libero of the week twice already this season.
Naomi Reimer provides a 1-2 punch for the 'Yotes with Machurek near the net. Reimer, a five-foot seven-inch setter, was named the conference hitter of the week Aug. 31. The College of Idaho's Kathryn Ely returns to La Grande where she went to high school. The senior is third in the CCC in hitting percentage and fifth in kills averaging three per game.
