| Warriors fall to nationally-ranked Albertson in three games
October 13, 2006
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Senior Hallie Hofferd (pictured left) and sophomore Chelsea Reeher (pictured right) combined for 5 blocks tonight, as Corban fell in three games to nationally-ranked Albertson.
(Photo courtesy of Corban's J-lab photographer)
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SALEM, Ore. – Despite nine kills each from junior Ashley Lange (Salem, Ore.) and sophomore Chelsea Reeher (Powell Butte, Ore.), Corban's women's volleyball team was swept in three games (25-30, 26-30, 21-30) by the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics' (NAIA) No. 11-ranked Coyotes of Albertson on Friday night
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Even though the host Warriors recorded a positive hitting percentage (.147) on the night, they could not overcome a hard-hitting Coyotes offense that produced 53 kills on 136 swings.
In the opening game, Corban found themselves trailing earl, 6-1, following three straight Coyote kills. The Warriors clawed their way back into the game and were down by a mere point (8-7) following back-to-back kills from senior co-captains Nina Clanton (Hillsboro, Ore.) and Becky Horn (Troutdale, Ore.). Both teams battled back and forth until the score was knotted at 24-24 thanks to a kill by Reeher. Albertson took the lead for good on a Kathryn Ely kill and then rode the arm of Erin Cherrington over the next four points to grab a commanding 29-24 lead. Facing game point, Corban received a gift in the form of a Cherrington service error, but could not overcome the deficit and fell by 5 (30-25).
In the middle game, Corban found themselves once again down early, 8-1. The Warriors battled all the way back to take the lead, 22-21, following a Ely attack error before grabbing their second and final lead of the game (24-23) thanks to another Ely hitting miscue. Kills by senior Hallie Hofferd (Bend, Ore.) and sophomore Jessica McGraw (Gaston, Ore.) were not enough, as Albertson grabbed 7 of the final 9 points and took a commanding two games-to-none lead via the 4-point victory (30-26).
In the third and final game, the Warriors repeated their start from the previous two games, as they fell behind by 7 points (8-1). Unlike the previous games, Corban could not take the lead from its nationally-ranked opponents getting as close as four points on four different occasions. Unfortunately, the Warriors could not overcome the high octane offense that Albertson provided, as they fell in the third and final game, 30-21.
Hofferd and McGraw turned in 5 and 4 kills respectively, while Horn, Clanton, and freshman Kristina Lewin (Keizer, Ore.) added 2 kills each. McGraw guided the Warrior offense with a team-high 20 assists, while freshman setter Amy Thompson (Oregon City, Ore.) added 9. Hofferd, McGraw, and junior Caylin Goss (La Grande, Ore.) provided the defense for Corban, as the trio registered 10 digs each. Horn ended the match with a season-low nine digs, as the reigning conference Co-Libero of the Year was held in single digits for the first time all season.
Albertson was led by Katie Hogue's match-high 13 kills, while Katie Zillner and a pair of 'Yotes added 10 and 9 respectively. Cherrington guided Albertson's offense with a match-high 44 assists, while South Salem graduate Stacie Drumm anchored the Coyotes' back line with a match-high 11 digs.
Corban is now 6-13 overall, 3-9 in Cascade Collegiate Conference play. Meanwhile, Albertson pushes its winning streak to six-in-a-row and improves to 19-2 overall, 12-0 in CCC action. The Warriors will return to the court tomorrow night, October 14th, when they host the Mountaineers of Eastern Oregon beginning at 7:00 p.m. inside the C.E. Jeffers Sports Center. Earlier this season, these same two teams battled it out in a tough five-game match in which Eastern Oregon prevailed, 3-2 (30-26, 23-30, 24-30, 30-21, 15-13), in La Grande.
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