SOU-OIT Boxscore

Sparked by the play of freshman Kalista Harrison, the Southern Oregon volleyball team held off Oregon Tech 25-21, 20-25, 25-20, 23-25, 15-8 tonight in a loud and half-packed McNeal Pavilion.

The Raiders improved to 16-9 overall and 14-3 in Cascade Conference play. Oregon Tech is now 19-5 overall and 14-3 in conference play. Thanks to the season sweep, the Raiders hold the tiebreaker with Owls for second place. SOU hosts Northwest Christian Friday night at 7 p.m.

Senior Mia Wortel (Estacada, Ore./Estacada) led the Raiders with 18 kills and seven blocks. Junior setter Lindsey Stone (Ashland, Ore./Ashland) had a match-high 57 assists. Krista Wooley led OIT with a match-high 21 kills.

Harrison entered the match late in Set 4 and took over the match in Set 5.

The former Roseburg High School star had a pair of solo blocks to help give the Raiders a 6-0 lead in the finale. Back-to-back kills by Harrison and then another solo block gave SOU a 10-4 lead and forced the Owls into a timeout.

The timeout didn't slow down Harrison. Two more Harrison kills put SOU up 13-5.

The Owls came back with three SOU attack errors, but the Raiders overcame those mistakes to win the match on a Stone kill.

Harrison had eight kills in two sets and four blocks.

“I put her in to give us a better opportunity to give us some blocking,” SOU Head Coach Josh Rohlfing. “She's the type of player that once she gets on a roll she's virtually impossible to stop. She's an incredible athlete and did a nice job of putting the ball away.”

After the two teams split the first two sets, SOU looked to be in complete control as they dominated the third set - hitting .302 with only three attack errors.

In the fourth set the Owls came back from down 16-8 to tie the set at 19-19 on an SOU attack error.

Harrison came out with back-to-back kills to give the Raiders a 21-19 lead, but Oregon Tech rallied, knotting the set at 22-22 and 23-23 before winning the set 25-23.

“We stopped passing and serve receiving,” Rohlfing said. “Give them credit, their hitters did what they needed to do.”

Leanne Stennett (Encinitas, Calif./San Dieguito) had a career-night for the Raiders, going for 15 kills. Sarah Holgen (Honolulu, Hawaii/Ashland) finished with 13 kills. SOU finished with 25 blocks.