SIOUX CITY, Iowa — Eastern Oregon's Volleyball's 2024 campaign came to an end Saturday as the Mountaineers fell to Southern Oregon in a five-set thriller, 3-2 (22-25, 25-21, 25-20, 21-25, 12-15), in the quarterfinals of the NAIA Women's Volleyball National Championship. 

Eastern Oregon showed resilience throughout the match, battling through 12 ties in the opening set before falling 25-22. The Mounties found their rhythm in the second set, erasing an early deficit with a 9-3 run keyed by kills from Kiauna Mack and Keira Vaughn. They maintained control to even the match with a 25-21 victory.

Momentum stayed with Eastern Oregon in the third set, as Vaughn sparked a six-point surge that pushed the Mounties to a 25-20 win and a 2-1 advantage. Despite the Raiders' response in the fourth set, where Southern Oregon used a decisive 10-1 run to pull away, the Mounties never stopped fighting, narrowing the deficit to three points before falling 25-21.

In the decisive fifth set, Eastern Oregon clawed back from an early deficit to come within two points of the lead at 14-12. However, Southern Oregon's attack, capped by a match-clinching kill from Marin Macky, proved too much.

Vaughn led Eastern Oregon with a stellar performance, tallying 19 kills, while Madison Morgan added 12. Hannah Ledgerwood anchored the defense with 15 digs. Despite the loss, the Mountaineers showcased the depth and tenacity that defined their season.

Eastern Oregon Top Performers

• Keira Vaughn: 19 kills, 11 errors, 46 total attacks, 5 blocks
• Madison Morgan: 12 kills, 2 errors, 27 total attacks, .370 hitting percentage, 3 blocks
• Kiauna Mack: 10 kills, 4 errors, 22 total attacks, .273 hitting percentage, 1 solo block, 11 block assists
• Ashton Bales: 10 kills, 2 errors, 27 total attacks, .296 hitting percentage, 2 block assists
• Hannah Ledgerwood: 26 assists, 15 digs, 1 service ace.
• Hailey Arritola: 10 assists, 13 digs.
• McKenzie Jonas: 10 kills, 1 error, 16 total attacks, .562 hitting percentage, 3 block assists
• Mylie Mills: 3 kills, 1 error, 15 total attacks, .133 hitting percentage, 1 solo block, 3 block assists

Eastern Oregon finishes the year as one of the nation's top programs, reaching the quarterfinals of the national tournament and compiling a 31-5 overall record.