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Comeback falls short in opening conference loss to Mountaineers of Eastern Oregon
September 1, 2006
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Senior Hallie Hofferd led Corban with 14 kills in its opening conference match of the season against the Mountaineers of Eastern Oregon. (Photo courtesy of William Scott Photography) |
LA GRANDE, Ore. – In the opening Cascade Collegiate Conference match of the season, Corban's women's volleyball team fell to the Mountaineers of Eastern Oregon, 3-2 (26-30, 30-23, 30-24, 21-30, 13-15), despite a team-high 14 kills from senior Hallie Hofferd (Bend, Ore.) and a valiant comeback in the fifth and final set on Friday night.
In the first game, Corban founds itself up by 7 points (14-7) following a kill by sophomore Jessica McGraw (Gaston, Ore.). Thanks to a 10-3 run by the host Mountaineers, the game was tied at 17-all following an attack error by Hofferd. The Warriors got back within 2 points (28-26) after a service ace by McGraw, but could not get an closer as EOU took the game by 4 points (30-26).
With the Warriors trailing by a point (18-17) in the second game, seventeen-year head coach Tracy Smith called a timeout. Following the break in action, Corban rallied off 8 straight points, highlighted by a pair of kills from sophomore Chelsea Reeher (Powell Butte, Ore.), to take the lead by 6 (26-18). Despite an attempted comeback by EOU, the Warriors hung tough a tied the match 1-1 thanks to a 7-point victory (30-23).
Corban opened the third game by scoring 5 unanswered points before Eastern Oregon stormed back behind an 8-3 run to tie the game at 8-all. In what seemed to be a see-saw battle, both teams used numerous 2-point rallies before Corban tied the game at 15-15 thanks to an EOU service error. Four EOU attack errors helped the Warriors take a 20-15 lead before the Mountaineers scored 3 straight points to pull within 3 (20-18). Corban answered with 4 points of its own highlighted by kills from Hofferd and junior Ashley Lange (Salem, Ore.) to go up 6 (24-18). Both teams traded points throughout the remainder of the game before Corban grabbed the middle frame via an EOU attack error, 30-24.
The fourth game saw only two ties (5-5 & 6-6) before Eastern Oregon took control thanks to 6 unanswered points to go up 12-6. Corban could not get any closer than 4 points, as the Mountaineers forced the visiting Warriors into 9 attack errors compared to only 8 kills. Corban was forced to play its first five-game match of the season when Eastern Oregon captured Game #4 by 9 points (30-21).
In the fifth and final game, Eastern Oregon seemed to put the match away after scoring 7 straight points following an early 5-5 tie. With a never-quit attitude, Corban stormed back thanks to a 4-1 rally and got within 4 points (13-9) before surrending EOU's 14th point via a Hofferd service error. With their backs against the wall, the Warriors scored 4 unanswered points, highlighted by two Reeher kills, to pull within a mere point (14-13), but could not complete the comeback when EOU ended the match at 15-13.
Hofferd ended the match with a team-high 14 kills, while Reeher and McGraw added 13 and 9 respectively. McGraw guided Corban's offense with a team-high 22 assists, while senior libero Becky Horn (Troutdale, Ore.) put up another huge number in the Warriors' back line with a match-high 32 digs. McGraw has posted a double-double in each of the Warriors' five matches, while coming within a combined 3 kills of two triple-doubles. McGraw also came with two blocks of posting Corban's first triple-double of the season thanks to a match-high 8 blocks (all assist) tonight. The Warriors recorded a season-high 13 team blocks (2 solo, 22 assist), as four players register 4-or-more blocks.
Eastern Oregon was led by Grace DeBoodt's match-high 19 kills, while Chelsea Lally added 16. Alissa Clinton guided the Mountaineer offense with a match-high 39 assists, while Kiley Cobb anchored the EOU back line with a team-high 20 digs.
Corban is now 1-4 overall, 0-1 in Cascade Collegiate Conference action. Meanwhile, Eastern Oregon earned its first win of the season and is now 1-4 overall, 1-0 in CCC play. The Warriors will return to action on Saturday, Sept. 2nd, when they continue conference action at Albertson College of Idaho beginning at 7:00 p.m. in Caldwell, Idaho.
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