After the dominate performance of the Southern Oregon University Football team earlier in the day, the SOU Volleyball team had their hands full trying to keep up as Saturday’s night cap of sports.

The Raider were looking to sweep Senior Weekend in style as they took on Northwest College.

For the Raiders, it meant an chance to own the top spot in the Cascade Collegiate Conference.  As for the Eagles, it meant a step closer to the sixth and final spot in the conference tourny in two weeks.

In the first set and a half, the Raiders dominated the court as they took the first set with ease and had a 21-11 lead in the second set and were on the verge to go up two sets to none over the Eagles.

As the Iron Maiden song “Where Eagles dare” goes; the Eagles dared and challenged the Raiders in the closing moments of the second frame by going on a 6-2 run before the Raiders sealed it 25-18.

But like a head cold, or as the song goes, “no one should fly where eagles dare,”; the Eagles flipped the switch in the third set and starting to duel with the Raiders.

They fought, and fought, and fought through ties and a point or two deficits to finally break through with their only lead in the whole game at the 15-14 en route on a 5-1 run during that span.

Northwest took off and never looked back as the Raiders couldn’t muster enough to regain the lead from the Eagles as they fell 20-25.

Coming out for the fourth set, it looked like the same story, different verse as both team’s were trying blows as they did in the thrid.

It was tied at 14 before a timeout was called to figure out what to do next; and when the Raiders came out from their huddle, it was as if a weight as lifted.

Southern Oregon went on a 6-1 tear on Northwest to find themselves up 20-15.

The Eagles weren’t finish yet.  Two points later and a Raider four point lead, momentum started to slowly shift back to Northwest.

Not yet, vibed the Raiders players, not today, not here.

With a 21-17 advantage, the Southern Oregon responded to the Eagles upswing with an 4-1 upswing of their own.  The dagger that gave the Raiders the win, was a senior Haley Kalser’s kill to end the game.

The win improves the Raiders to 18-8 on the season and 14-2 in CCC play while remaining tied with College of Idaho, whom won tonight, for tops on the leaders board.

Coincentally, next Friday in Caldwell, Idaho the Raiders and the Wolves will meet in the battle of the best in the conference before the Raiders travel to La Grande, Oregon to face Eastern Oregon University to finish off the regular season.

Statistics

Sets                              1      2     3     4

Southern Oregon 25   25  20  25

Northwest                17    18  25   18

Kills- SOU-  16;Northwest-HAISTINGS, Rae Ann 13. Assist:  SOU- : WESTRICK, Caryn 28;Northwest– ARBUTHNOT, Ashton 35. Digs- SOU-YOMTOB, Renee 35; Northwest-SHULKE, Heather 32;