SOU-Vanguard Boxscore

The 21st-ranked Vanguard volleyball team won a back-and-forth first set and then cruised to a three set sweep of 12th-ranked Southern Oregon University 30-28, 25-19, 25-15 at Concordia (Calif.) Crowne Plaza Labor Day Festival.

Vanguard improved to 2-0 on the young season. SOU fell to 1-4 on the season with all losses coming to ranked opponents. The Raiders take on Hope International and fourth-ranked Biola University Saturday.

Samantha Yutzie and Sarah Holgen (Honolulu, Hawaii/Ashland) both had seven kills for the Raiders. Holgen also had seven digs.

In the thrilling first set, SOU jumped out to a 13-7 lead on a kill by Becky Johnstone (Lake Arrowhead, Calif./Rim of the World). Leah Bergstrom (West Linn, Ore./West Linn)'s kill gave SOU a 17-15 lead but Vanguard came back to tie it at 17-17.

After being tied at 19-19, Vanguard took a 23-19 lead thanks in part to three straight SOU errors. The Raiders came flying right back and had set-point at 24-23, but Vanguard tied the set at 24-24.

A Vanguard service error gave Southern the lead and another set point at 25-24. A kill by Vanguard's Kelsey Witt tied it at 25-25 and the two teams would also be tied at 26-26, 27-27 and then again at 28-28 after a Vanguard service error.

The Raiders gave the lead to Vanguard at 29-28 on a service error and then Vanguard won the set on a Megan Walsh kill.

The second and third sets were all Vanguard as the hosts jumped out to a 16-9 and 16-11 leads to win the match.