OLYMPIA, Wash. – After two relatively easy wins in the first two frames, the Concordia Cavaliers had to work hard in the third set before clinching a straight-set win over the Evergreen Geoducks in a Cascade Conference volleyball match on Saturday evening at CRC Gymnasium in Olympia, Wash.
In the first set, Concordia (10-6, 5-4 CCC) sprinted off to the early lead, holding an 8-0 lead over Evergreen (0-10, 0-9 CCC) before anyone even had a chance to blink. The Geoducks were able to pick up two points but the Cavaliers went on yet another run to hold an 18-2 lead as CU cruised to the 25-6 set one victory. The Cavs hit .355 in the opening frame with 14 kills and three errors on 31 attacks.
The second half was a very similar story to the first. After the Geoducks picked up the first point of the frame on a kill by Stephanie Peshlakai-John (Kirtland, N.M./West Texas College), Concordia took back control of the match. The Cavs eventually stretched the lead into double-digits at 18-8 as Concordia ended the set on a 10-0 scoring run. Concordia improved their hitting in the second frame, putting down 12 kills with three errors on just 25 total attacks for a clip of .360.
After two easy wins, the third set was anything but as the host Geoducks came out of the break ready to compete. Evergreen was either tied or held the lead for the early part of the frame but six-point swing put Concordia back into the driver seat at 16-14. Evergren managed to tied it again at 18-18 and again at 19-19 but the Cavs scored six of the final seven points to collect the 25-20 win to clinch the match.
Evergreen was led by 10 kills from Peshlakai-John as the junior accounted for 12.5 points. Erin Mitchell (Santa Cruz, Calif./Mt. Madonna School) put up 15 assists for the green and white while Sonja Arrasi (Sandy, Utah/Westminster College) and Taylor Good (Dupont, Wash./Steilacoom HS) each added 11 digs for the Geoducks.
Concordia was led by 12 kills from Clair Thiel, who hit .440 on the match with just one error in 25 attacks. Aria Nojima added 10 kills while Lindsay Mangan put up 32 assist in the win. Libero Aubrie Concannon led all players with 20 digs on the night.
The Geoducks will next be in action on Friday night when they play host to Northwest, beginning at 7pm in Olympia, Wash. Concordia returns home on Friday to host 18th-ranked Southern Oregon, also at 7pm in Portland, Ore.
