LA GRANDE, Ore. – The No. 4-ranked Eastern Oregon volleyball team celebrated Senior Day with a thrilling 3-2 (23-25, 22-25, 25-14, 25-13, 15-9) comeback victory over Bushnell University on Saturday night at Quinn Coliseum.
The Mountaineers honored seniors Madison Morgan, Hailey Arritola, Ashton Bales, Hannah Ramage, Alexis McMurtrey, and Hannah Ledgerwood before the match, and they played pivotal roles in the team's reverse sweep. This year's senior class has been instrumental to the Mountaineers' success since 2020, contributing to 132 victories and leading the team to the national tournament every year of their tenure at Eastern Oregon. Their efforts have propelled EOU Volleyball to new heights, achieving multiple No. 1 national rankings and securing back-to-back NAIA National Tournament semifinal appearances.
With the win, Eastern Oregon improved to 21-2 overall and 13-2 in Cascade Collegiate Conference (CCC) play, while the Beacons dropped to 16-8 and 11-5 in the CCC.
Eastern Oregon fell behind early, losing the first two sets 23-25 and 22-25, but they found their rhythm in the third set. The Mountaineers surged back with a dominant 25-14 win in the third and maintained their momentum in the fourth, winning 25-13 to force a decisive fifth set. EOU completed the reverse sweep with a 15-9 victory in the final frame, securing an emotional win on Senior Day.
Keira Vaughn led the Mountaineers' offense with 14 kills, while Ashton Bales contributed 12 kills on a .242 hitting percentage and six block assists. Madison Morgan added 10 kills and five blocks. Defensively, libero Hailey Arritola anchored the team with a match-high 26 digs, while McKenzie Jonas compiled a game-high 10 blocks. McMurtrey and Ledgerwood combined for 45 assists and facilitated the Mounties' offense throughout the match.
Bushnell was led by Amyah Semau and Hailey Heider, each recording 13 kills. However, the Beacons struggled to find their attacking efficiency, finishing with a .067 hitting percentage and committing 35 attack errors. Bella Parque added 21 digs for the Beacons.
Match Stats:
- Eastern Oregon (Kills-Errors-Attempts): 61-29-176 (.182)
- Bushnell (Kills-Errors-Attempts): 47-35-180 (.067)
- Eastern Oregon Leaders: Keira Vaughn (14 kills), Ashton Bales (12 kills, 6 blocks), Hailey Arritola (26 digs), Alexis McMurtrey (30 assists)
- Bushnell Leaders: Amyah Semau (13 kills), Hailey Heider (13 kills), Kate Palelek (20 assists), Bella Parque (21 digs)
The Mountaineers will continue their conference schedule on the road next weekend, facing Evergreen State in Olympia, Washington, on October 25th.
