The Eastern Oregon University volleyball season preview predicted that freshman outside hitter Stefani Sorensen “should make an immediate impact” with the Mountaineers.
Good call.
The 6-foot graduate of Camas High School has started all 13 matches for the Mountaineers this season and is second on the team with 109 kills. Her attack percentage is .220, and she also has 18 blocks.
Sorensen had 11 kills as Eastern Oregon upset Southern Oregon, ranked No. 14 in NAIA, in a Cascade Collegiate Conference match on Friday in LaGrande, Ore.
Eastern Oregon improved to 7-6 and keeps making history by extending its unbeaten start in conference matches to six Saturday with a home victory over Oregon Tech. The Mountaineers were picked fifth in the 10-team CCC in a preseason poll of conference coaches.
Friday’s win over SOU snapped a five-match skid against the Raiders and marked only the fourth win in 25 meetings between the teams. It was also the 450th volleyball win in EOU program history.
The Mountaineers shared honors as CCC “Verizon Team of the Week” for Sept. 5-11.
During that period, Sorensen had a match-high 16 kills in a road win over Corban College.
“This past weekend was a great one for us, not only because of the success but also because we played our game against some good teams,” EOU coach Kaki McLean-Morehead said. “We really had some all-around contributions from everyone. Our freshman outside hitter, Stefani Sorensen, had a stellar game against Corban, and Alisha Crane had one against Northwest Christian. I really am proud of this team and everything it has overcome; there have been obstacles and the players have learned from them and stayed resilient through it all.”
EWU’s Black adds game-winning goal
Eastern Washington freshman Cassie Black gave the Eagles the only goal they would need eight minutes into a home match Friday against The Evergreen State College, sparking the Eagles to their first win of the season after an 0-6 start.
The Battle Ground High School graduate intercepted a pass and broke away from a Geoducks defender to score her team-leading fifth goal of the season. The forward has scored five goals on seven shots, six on goal, and her total of 10 points — like her five goals — is more than double any of her teammates.
EWU plays Sunday at Idaho, the team’s final preseason match before Big Sky Conference play begins.
Irwin making mark at Washington State
Washington State sophomore setter Camryn Irwin is second in the Pacific-12 Conference with an average of 0.43 service aces a set, trailing only UCLA’s Bojana Todorovic (0.66).
The Prairie High School graduate, who transferred to WSU from Oregon after her freshman season, is also 10th in the conference in assists with an average of 9.66 a set.
Irwin, who served five aces in a season-opening victory over Santa Clara and four in a win at Seattle University, is also third on the team in blocks at 0.54 a set.
The Cougars (4-7, 0-2 in Pac-12 matches) open conference play this weekend at Arizona and Arizona State.
River grads help WSU win CC title
Columbia River High School graduates Allison Clark and Sarah Bobbe finished sixth and 10th, respectively, at the Clash of the Inland Northwest Cross Country meet held Sept. 3 at Mead High School in Colbert, helping Washington State’s women to the team title. The Cougars totaled 31 points, to Idaho’s 41. Gonzaga, Eastern Washington and Whitworth also participated.
Clark was WSU’s third runner, finishing in 14 minutes, 34.5 seconds. Bobbe was the fourth WSU finisher, with a time of 14:44.9.
Placing seventh was Gonzaga’s Emily Thomas, a Camas High School graduate.
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