SIOUX CITY, Iowa – The No. 14 Eastern Oregon University volleyball team overcame a 2-1 deficit and defeated No. 25 Evangel (Mo.), 3-2 (25-22, 14-25, 29-31, 25-21, 15-6) to advance to bracket play in the 2014 NAIA Volleyball National Championship, presented by J&L Enterprises.

The Mountaineers will not know who or at what time they compete in bracket play until after every match of Pool Play is completed. Check EOUsports.com later tonight to find out who we play tomorrow and at what time.

Casey Loper led the Mountaineers with 22 kills on the afternoon. Katina Ferguson followed with 14 kills. Rachelle Chamberlain dished out 62 assists and Jessalyn Smith recorded a match-high 45 digs, which is a school record for EOU.

The Mountaineers and Crusaders were locked in a close first set as the match was tied, at 10-10, after an EOU attack error. At this point in the set, EOU went on an 8-1 run to pull ahead, 18-11, after a Chamberlain kill. It looked like EOU would win the first set easy, but Evangel battled back and tied the set, at 19-19. Once EOU regained the lead at 20-19, Eastern Oregon did not trail again and took set one, 25-22.

Evangel responded in the second set. With the set tied, 6-6, the Crusaders went on a 10-0 run to pull ahead 16-6. EOU could not answer and dropped set two, 25-14. In this set, the Mountaineers recorded a hitting percentage of .065 compared to Evangels .366.

Set three was a back and forth affair as there were 15 ties in the set. After the match was tied, at 15-15, it looked as if EOU would pull away as they built a 22-18 lead. Eastern Oregon could not put the Crusaders away and Evangel battled back and eventually took the set, 31-29.

With their season on the line, the Mountaineers offense came to life again. A kill by Emily Nay gave EOU a 10-6 lead in the fourth set. The Crusaders continued to battle, but EOU continued to extend the lead to five, 20-15. Evangel trimmed the Mountaineers lead down to three points, 22-19, but could not get any closer and a kill by Loper gave EOU the set, 25-21.

Forcing a fifth and final set, and the Mountaineers' season on the line, EOU and Evangel found themselves tied, 3-3. A kill by Isabelle Statkus and a service ace by Kasaundra Tuma gave EOU a 5-3 lead. EOU took advantage of four straight attack errors by Evangel to take a 9-3 lead. EOU did not let the Crusaders back into the match and EOU claimed the set, 15-6, after taking advantage of the seventh Crusaders attack error of the fifth set.

With the win, EOU finishes Pool B play with a 2-1 record, the second best record in the pool, and advances to the single elimination bracket play, starting tomorrow.