Portland, Ore. | Warner Pacific lost a gut-wrenching 5-set match against the Yotes of the College of Idaho in CC Perry Gymnasium on Friday night.
 
Grace Buchanan continues to be essential for the Knights' offense as she tallied 14 kills on the night, hitting for a .209 percentage.
 
In what looked like could be a quick set for the Yotes who took a 10-3 lead to start the match, took a turn as the Knights' hitting started to explode and took C of I for surprise. WPU managed to come back from being down by 7, exchange leads with the Yotes, and take a 18-16 lead. The Knights managed to close out the first set with a service ace by Senior Audree Gormanson.
 
Match two was a nail biter to the very end as both teams continuously traded kills and digs back and forth before the Knights went on a tear and went on a 7-0 run to take the 15-11 lead, forcing a Yotes timeout. As the set entered the 20s, C of I and Warner Pac exchanged points and the lead 5 times. With the Knights trailing by one, Senior Lauren Jones slammed the ball to tie the set at 24, the next two possessions were owned by Buchanan who sent the ball down the side and the Knights went ahead to win 26-24.
 
In what could have been a 3-0 victory for WPU, the team began to deflate in the third set as the Yotes began to attack the Knights' defense and took a very quick 20-8 lead before forcing a timeout by Nels Norquist. Out of the timeout, the Knights got three straight points but weren't able to complete the comeback and the Yotes forced WPU to a fourth set.
 
As it fatigue may be setting in, the two teams fought and exchanged points to start the fourth set before WPU went on a 4-0 run to take a 7-3 lead. As Warner Pac managed to hold the Yotes off from taking the lead, the blocking by C of I began to play into their favor, getting three straight blocks. The Yotes closed out set four with a 25-21 victory and forced the Knights to a deciding set.
 
Tensions were high in the gym as both teams stepped in between the lines with nothing but grit on their faces. As was the story for most of the night, the teams exchanged points, but C of I pulled away going on a 7-0 run to take the 11-7 lead. After a Kill by Mackenzie Keating to close the match, the Yotes had completed the comeback win on the road.
 
Warner Pacific will close out the 2019 season at home on Saturday evening for Senior Night against No. 4 Eastern Oregon University. The match is set for 5pm.