Box Score ASHLAND, Ore. – The Eastern Oregon University volleyball team dropped a heartbreaker to Southern Oregon University, 3-2 (25-20, 26-28, 25-16, 20-25, 18-20), on Friday evening.
Casey Loper led the Mountaineers with 19 kills.
Amanda Miller followed with 15 kills and Kasundra Tuma had 10 kills for EOU.
Rachelle Chamberlain dished out 54 assists on the night.
Jessalyn Smith led the team with 20 digs.
Eastern Oregon and Southern Oregon stayed locked in a tight battle for the first set. With EOU ahead 15-14, the Mountaineers scored four of the next five points to extend their lead, 19-15. Eastern Oregon did not let the Raiders get back into the first set and took set one, 25-20.
The second set saw a bunch
runs as neither team wanted control. With Southern Oregon leading, 11-8, the Mountaineers scored the next four points and a one point lead, 12-11. Eastern Oregon continued to lead and grew their advantage to 22-19, over Southern Oregon. Southern bounced back and scored 10 of the last 13 points to take set two, 28-26, over EOU.
The Mountaineers controlled the third set, as EOU built an early lead over Southern Oregon. With the score at 12-10, EOU went on to score 10 of the next 13 points to extend its lead to 22-14. EOU took set three, 25-16, as they hit .400 in the set.
Eastern Oregon looked as if they had the offense clicking early in set four. With EOU and Southern Oregon tied at, 7-7, the Mountaineers stretched the lead to 17-11, after a kill by
Kendra De Hoog. The Raiders answered and mounted its comeback. Southern Oregon scored 14 of the last 17 points to take set four, 25-20, to force a fifth set.
The Mountaineers looked to be rebounding in the fifth set, as EOU jumped out to a, 5-2, lead after a Miller kill. The Raiders did not go away quietly. Southern Oregon bounced back and tied the fifth set at 5-5. The set remained close with neither team taking a lead larger than one point for the rest of the set. EOU had match point, 14-13, after an attack error by Shelby Young, however, the Mountaineers could not put the Raiders away. The Raiders and Mountaineers continued to trade leads and ties for the remainder of the set. With EOU leading, 18-17, the Mountaineers struggled and could not maintain the lead. Southern Oregon scored the final three points of the set and took the final set, 20-18, defeating EOU 3-2.
EOU returns to action tomorrow, Saturday, Sept. 27, when they play at Oregon Tech at 5 p.m.
