7 p.m. Friday – Bushnell (17-3) at SOU (11-10)
7 p.m. Saturday – No. 5 Corban (21-1) at SOU (11-10)
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ASHLAND – The Southern Oregon University volleyball team will get a chance to play spoiler while trying to keep its postseason hopes alive against two of the Cascade Conference's best this weekend at Lithia Motors Pavilion.

At 7 p.m. Friday, the Raiders (11-10 overall, 6-10 CCC) will try to slow down third-place Bushnell (17-3, 13-3), which has swept eight teams, including first-place Corban, while winning 10 of its last 11. And at 7 p.m. Saturday, they'll get another shot at the No. 5-ranked Warriors (21-1, 15-1) after taking them to five sets in Salem on Sept. 17.

The Raiders are two wins back of the conference's sixth and final playoff spot and need to jump three teams in the standings with six matches left to play. They're about to face the CCC's top-three in the consecutively, with the stretch continuing next week at No. 13-ranked Eastern Oregon.

FAN POLICY: All fans 12 and older planning to attend are subject to SOU's vaccination policy, which requires proof of full vaccination against Covid-19 or a negative test taken no more than 48 hours prior to entry. Photo ID must be presented for verification. Per state mandate, non-participants will also be required to wear masks regardless of vaccination status.

LAST WEEK IN REVIEW: The Raiders dropped both matches last week in Washington, starting with a 13-25, 25-17, 25-18, 25-17 setback at Evergreen where the Geoducks compiled 18 blocks. Lily Stewart led the way with eight total blocks to hold SOU to a .065 attacking average, its lowest of the season. The next night at Northwest, the Eagles took down SOU in five sets for the second time this season by scores of 28-26, 23-25, 20-25, 25-18, and 16-14. The Raiders served for match point at 14-13 but couldn't finish the deal as Abigail Broussard and Susana Bailey combined for 46 kills.

BRIEFLY:

• Over SOU's last five matches, Simone Gordon has 67 kills on a .283 attacking average. She's second on the team at 2.5 kills per set.
• With 328 digs, Kadyn Jones has already surpassed her career-high and is averaging 4.1 per set, the seventh-highest clip in the CCC. She's up to 714 digs in three seasons for the Raiders and has recorded 10 or more in 11 straight matches.
• Hailey Van Well hasn't been held under 11 kills since Sept. 18 at Bushnell, a stretch nine matches. She continues to rank among the CCC leaders, sitting at No. 3 in kills per set (3.63) and No. 6 in attacking average (.290).
• In CCC play, the Raiders rank fifth in attacking average (.209) and ninth in opponents' average (.203).

ABOUT BUSHNELL: The streaking Beacons won their first meeting with SOU in straight sets behind Shay Coons' 13 kills and a .308 team attacking average. In CCC play, they're attacking .219 and giving up .132, ranking fourth on the CCC leaderboard in both categories. Coons posts 3.51 kills per set and Callie Wilkins is the conference's digs leader (4.8).

ABOUT CORBAN: The Warriors have won a staggering 63 of 74 total sets played. They're the top attacking team in the CCC by a wide margin at .275 and are No. 6 on the NAIA leaderboard. Behind high-volume hitters Rylee Troutman (3.7 kills/set), Avari Ridgway (3.1 kills/set) and Sarena Bartley (.309), they're seeking their second-ever CCC title. In their first matchup with the Raiders, SOU's Gordon and Van Well had 16 kills apiece and Troutman led the Warriors with 18.