The Pioneer volleyball team closed out their non-Conference
schedule Friday night with a 25-23, 25-22, 25-23
loss to the Corban College Warrios in Salem, Oregon.
In the first set, the Pioneers broke an 11-11 tie with an ace by
Kelsey Neussl (senior, Juneau, Alaska). After Corban retied the
game, the Pioneers capitalized on three staright Croban errors and
a kill by Margart Dowling (freshman, Burlingame, Calif.) put the
Pioneers up 16-12. Corban went on a run, tying the set 17-17. A
huge Corban block, followed by a kill and a service ace gave them a
20-17 edge. Trailing 22-18, it was the Pioneers turn to mount a
rally, getting another kill from Kelsey Neussl, a block by the
entire Pioneer front row, a kill by Andrea Chase (senior, Santa
Rosa, Calif.) and an ace by Lou Ohki tied the set at 22. The
Pioneers went up 23-22 after a Corban attack error. An L&C
service error retied the set 23-23. Back-to-back Pioneer attack
errors gave Corban the 25-23 victory.
In the second set, Corban broke open a 13-13 score by going on a
5-0 run. Trailing 18-13, the Pioneers got back into the set after
scoring four straight points on Corban attack errors, making it
18-17. After a block by Danielle Johnson (senior, Anchorage,
Alaska) and Kelsey Clark (senior, Eagle Creek, Ore.), the Pioneers
tied the set 19-19 on another Corban attack error. Corban nudeged
ahead on back-to back kills. They held on for a 25-22 victory.
In the third set, the Pioneers jumped out to an early 8-3 lead.
Corban chipped away at the lead, tying the set 19-19 on a block by
their middle Rachel Gowan. Corban went ahead 21-19 on back-to-back
kills. The Pioneers pulled back within one, 21-20 on a kill by
Kelsey Clark. After the two teams traded error, the Pioneers tied
the set 23-23 on a block from Katherine Fielder (sophomore, San
Diego, Calif.) and Jessamy Holland (junior, Honoulu, Hawaii). A
Corban kill gave them match point. They closed out the match with a
kill by their outside hitter, winning the set 25-23 and sweeping
the Pioneers 3-0 in the match.
Kelsey Clark led the Pioneers with 10 kills. She also had three
block-assists. Lou Ohki (sophomore, Winton, Calif.) had 12 digs to
lead the defense.
The Pioneers fall to 5-6 on the season with the loss. This was
the final non-Conference game of the season for the Pioneers. They
begin Northwest Conference action next weekend when they travel to
eastern Washington for weekend matches at Whitworth and Whitman.
