SALEM – A .300 team attacking average and a 22-3 combined advantage in blocks translated to consecutive straight-set victories for No. 22-ranked Southern Oregon against Simpson (Calif.) and Pacific Union (Calif.) in the Hampton Inn Classic on Thursday at the C.E. Jeffers Center.
The Raiders ran their record to 6-2 entering Friday's non-conference finales, first behind 12
Friley Curtiss kills and
Duda Leite's seven-kill, eight-block performance in a 25-20, 25-20, 26-24 win against the Red Hawks (2-10).
Curtiss, the all-conference right-side hitter who was still working her way back from injury when the season began, rested during SOU's 25-12, 25-12, 25-13 rout of the Pioneers (0-2). Her absence allowed freshman Salem product
Briella Mathis to star in a successful homecoming with 13 kills and just one attacking error on 21 swings to go with six digs.
Sophomore libero
Maelle Garon spurred the floor defense with 25 digs on the day, registering 16 in the matchup with Simpson. Marian Vega Casto finished the afternoon with nine assisted blocks and
Tessa Zimmermann totaled eight with eight kills.
Simpson had pushed SOU to five sets two weeks ago in Ashland, but a couple of late Raider rallies prevented the latest matchup from being extended. They erased a 16-13 deficit to run away with the first set and finished the third with six unanswered points after going down 24-20, as Vega Castro got in on blocks with Leite and
Maya Watters to complete the comeback.
Watters totaled eight kills in the Simpson match,
Annie Hite spread out 22 assists, and Zimmermann posted six kills without an error while assisting seven blocks.
The Raiders started the Pacific Union match with eight straight points and never looked back, attacking at a .329 clip and putting down 10 service aces, including four from
Kaylie Christopher.
Evie Morrissette recorded 13 assists and
Lanie Snow went for six kills on nine attempts and three blocks.
SOU returns to action at 10:30 a.m. Friday against Taylor (Ind.) and wraps up the classic at 3:30 p.m. against Columbia International (S.C.).
