ASHLAND – Using Bushnell as a measuring stick, the Southern Oregon University volleyball team experienced its most significant growth spurt yet on Friday night at Lithia Motors Pavilion.
The Raiders, after being swept by the Beacons a month ago, returned the favor with a 25-23, 25-23, 25-12 Cascade Conference decision for their highest-quality win of the season.
Redshirt-freshman outside hitter
Hailey Van Well poured in 16 kills on 29 swings and sophomore middle
Carol Melo was in on six of the Raiders' nine blocks. Their play at the net translated to a lowly .134 team attacking average for the Beacons (17-4 overall, 13-4 CCC), who had won 10 of their last 11 matches coming into the night.
"I'm just so proud of the way we blocked against a really good team," SOU coach
Josh Rohlfing said. "We were in the right spots, made adjustments, and sustained our focus on every point. That's the team I know we can be and I felt like this was a big step forward."
The Raiders bumped their record to 12-10 overall and 7-10 in the CCC entering Saturday's 7 p.m. match against first-place and No. 5-ranked Corban. The victory was their first against a team with a winning conference record.
Sadie Byrd,
Simone Gordon and
Hannah Stadstad assisted three blocks each and combined for 15 kills on 39 attacks.
Shelby Young contributed seven big kills – including four in the second set, where the Raiders rallied back from a 22-18 deficit with six straight points.
Setters
Taylor Russell (20 assists) and
Gwen Sheldon (18 assists) led SOU to a .277 collective attacking average.
Kadyn Jones' 11 digs and
Karina Oliveira's nine helped keep the Beacons' attack down on the other side.
Shay Coons led Bushnell with 12 kills but was forced into six errors and needed 38 attempts. Payton Jones went for nine kills on a .450 average and assisted four of the team's five blocks.
Tied 6-6 in the third set, the Raiders took control with a 9-3 spurt and never let go. Van Well closed with five kills in the frame. She's been in double figures 10 matches in a row and avenged a three-kill output against the Beacons in the first matchup.
