OLYMPIA, Wash. – Throwing down a season-high 13 blocks, including eight from senior Brittany Covert (Chino Hills, Calif./Ayala HS/Northern Michigan Univ.), the Evergreen Geoducks picked up the four-set win over the Oregon Tech Hustlin’ Owls in a Cascade Conference volleyball match on Friday night at CRC Gymnasium in Olympia, Wash.
The Geoducks (4-14, 3-10 CCC) got off to a big lead in the first set as Evergreen found themselves leading 13-5 following a 10-1 run. Oregon Tech (12-15, 5-8 CCC) battled back and pulled back within one at 16-15 and eventually tied it up at 22 but the Geoducks dug deep to secure the 25-23 set one win.
Set two stayed tight the whole way with three lead changes and it looked late in the frame like the Owls might be able to even it up as Oregon Tech led 22-17. Evergreen grabbed four quick points to pull within one and after the score was tied at 24-24, Covert picked up two solo blocks to give the Geoducks a 26-24 set two victory.
Oregon Tech reeled off the first five points in the third set and didn’t look back the rest of the way but Owls head coach Jason Corwin only saw the first half as he was ejected by the referees after disputing a back-row attack midway through the frame. Dispute the disruption, OIT held on for the 25-21 set three win, mostly thanks to 18 kills with just seven errors on 36 total attacks for a match-high .306 hitting percentage.
After a tight start to the fourth set, the Geoducks blew it open with a six-point run that put Evergreen up 13-6 and the differential continued to grow as Evergreen took advantage of 13 Oregon Tech attack errors to collect the 25-14 set four win and clinch their third conference win of the year.
In addition to the eight blocks from Covert, the Geoducks were led by 22 kills from junior Victoria Love (Seaside, Calif./Seaside HS/Hartnell College). Molly King (Centralia, Wash./Centralia HS/Tacoma CC) added 11 kills while Kelsey Delagrange (Longview, Wash./Kelso HS/Mt. Hood CC) put up 40 assists on 46 total Evergreen kills.
Oregon Tech was led by 17 kills from Marlee Smith. Kayleigh Whelchel put up 26 assists while Victoria Porter came in for 18 assists. Marie Baumann led all playeds with 23 digs on the night. Oregon Tech had a strong night defensively as well, recording seven blocks on the match.
The Geoducks remain home on Saturday night as they host Southern Oregon, beginning at 7 p.m. at CRC Gymnasium in Olympia, Wash.