SALEM, Ore. – In the Cascade Collegiate Conference opener for the Warner Pacific volleyball team, the Knights earned a three set sweep (25-13, 25-15, 25-20) over Corban inside C.E. Jeffers Sports Center.  

With tonight's result, Corban falls to 2-5 overall and 0-1 in CCC play. Meanwhile, Warner Pacific improves to 4-2 overall and 1-0 in league matches.

On a night when former head coach Nels Norquist made his return to the C.E. Jeffers Sports Center and Corban's head coach Tracy Smith was coaching her first home match since 2006, the Warriors could not find any rhythm getting a mere 27 combined kills with 23 hitting errors.

In the opening set, Corban would score the first two points before Warner Pacific used a 20-7 run en route to earning an 11-point lead (20-9) on a Warrior hitting error. Corban would pull back within nine points (24-13), but the visiting Knights' offense was too strong finishing off the set with a service ace for the 25-13 victory.

Set #2 would belong to Warner Pacific, as the Knights built a quick six-point lead (7-1) following another Corban hitting error. The host Warriors would attempt to mount a comeback getting within four points (11-7) on a kill by Bailey only to have Warner Pacific use a 13-4 run en route to building a 12-point lead (24-12). Corban would get within nine points (24-15) thanks to a 3-0 run before Warner Pacific ended the middle set with a kill by Rylie Engelson for the 25-15 victory.

The third and final set would be a back-and-forth battle over the opening 23 combined points, as Warner Pacific held a slim one-point lead (12-11) before the visiting Knights used a 4-0 run to take control. Corban would fall behind by as much as eight points (22-14) before another 4-0 run would bring the Warriors back within four points (22-18) on three straight Warner Pacific hitting errors. A kill by WPC's Kristina Naff would jump start the Knights' final push to victory, as Warner Pacific ended with a five-point win )(25-20) on an Engelson kill.

Chandra Teague and Claire Bailey led the Warriors' offense with six kills each, while Olivia Shropshire and a pair of Corban players – Jenny Harman and sophomore Courtney Mulford – added five, four, and four kills respectively. Katherine Salness ran the Warriors' offense with a match-high 23 assists, while senior Karisa Legg anchored Corban's back row with a team-high 12 digs. At the net, Shropshire and Mulford led the Warriors with three blocks each.

Warner Pacific was led offensively by Engelson with a match-high 11 kills, while Devin Belshe was the only other player in double figures with 10 kills. The setting combination of Marchelle Bostic and Engelson handed out 34 assists, as Bostic dished out a team-high 18 assists. Defensively, Samantha Bryan led all players with 14 digs to go along with a four-block showing by Nicole Lisoski.

Corban will return to action tomorrow – Saturday, September 1st – against conference rival Concordia, while Warner Pacific continues its CCC opening weekend road trip at Eugene against Northwest Christian. Both matches will begin at 7:00 p.m. 

~Story courtesy of Corban Sports Information~