Corban Sweeps Geoducks

The Warriors will return to the court on Friday, when they host NAIA No. 11-ranked Lady Coyotes of Albertson College of Idaho beginning at 7:00 PM.

Salem-News.com Sports

OLYMPIA, Wash. - Thanks to a match-high 8 kills by junior Ashley Lange, Corban's women's volleyball team earned its first win over the Geoducks of The Evergreen State College since September 17th, 2005 in sweeping fashion, 3-0 (30-23, 30-18, 30-21), on Saturday.

Coming off its first loss in ten days Friday night versus Northwest, Corban rebounded and made short work of its opponent from the state of Washington ending the match in one hour and 11 minutes.

As a team, the host Geoducks of Evergreen committed 25 attack errors, while recording only 23 kills. On the other hand, the Warriors registered 38 kills with only 23 attack errors.

Lange led a group of Warriors, including senior Hallie Hofferd, sophomore Jessica McGraw, junior Caylin Goss, and sophomore Chelsea Reeher, that recorded 6-or-more kills each. Combined the quintet accounted for 34 of the team's 38 kills (89.5%), as senior Nina Clanton had the other four.

In the opening game, Corban jumped out to a quick 10-2 lead thanks to five Geoduck attack errors and three Warrior service aces, including a pair from Hofferd. Evergreen got as close as 4 points (15-11) before Lange registered her first kill of the night. After that attack, Clanton stepped behind the service line and pushed Corban's lead to 11 (22-11) thanks to a trio of Warrior kills (two by Hofferd & one by Goss). Over the remainder of the game, Evergreen could not get any closer than 6 points (29-23) before Corban shut the door via a Goss kill that took the opening game by 7 (30-23).

The middle game was a see-saw battle until Corban put together a 4-point and 5-point run thanks to the serving of Goss and freshman Amy Thompson.

With the Warriors clinging to a slim 1-point advantage (9-8), Goss took the ball and stretched Corban's lead to 6 (14-8) following two Geoduck attack errors and a ball handling miscue. Following a Warrior service error and an Evergreen kill, Reeher earned a side out that gave Thompson the ball behind the service line. The 5-foot-6 first-year setter proceeded to rally off five straight points thanks to a pair of service aces and two McGraw kills that pushed the Warrior lead to 10 (20-10). Evergreen got within seven points twice (23-15 & 25-18), but could not get any closer, as Corban took a commanding two games to none lead via a 12-point win (30-18).

In the third and final game, each team traded mini-runs until McGraw gave Corban a very slight one-point lead (11-10) before Hofferd extended that lead to 5 (15-10). During the 4-point run, McGraw and Clanton each registered a kill, while Evergreen fell victim to an attack and ball handling error once again. The host Geoducks attempted to sneak back into the game with a two-point and one-point run, but could not get any closer than one at 16-15, as the Warriors rode the backs of Clanton, Goss, and Hofferd over the final 14 points to secure the three-game sweep with a 30-21 victory in Game #3.

McGraw finished the match with 10 assists, while Thompson added 9. Senior libero Becky Horn anchored Corban's back line with a team-high 16 digs, while Hofferd and a trio of Warriors added 14 and 8 respectively. As a team, the Warriors registered another double-digit figure in service aces thanks to a match-high 14. Clanton, Hofferd, Horn, and Thompson each served 3 aces for Corban.

Evergreen was led by Madeline Bleaven's team-high 7 kills, while Chelsea Jacobson and Ashley Carver each added 4. Jacobson guided the Geoducks' offense with a match-high 12 assists, while Ann Forman anchored Evergreen's back line with a match-high 18 digs.

Corban improves to 6-12 overall, 3-8 in Cascade Collegiate Conference play. Meanwhile, Evergreen falls to 4-15 overall, 2-9 in CCC action.

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