Entering this weekend, the SOU Volleyball squad will be traveling to Caldwell, Idaho to the home of the College of Idaho Wolves, for the Semi-Finals of the Cascade Colliegate Conference against Eastern Oregon University.

“Eastern Oregon is a very special team,” said head coach Josh Rohlfing, “but we feel that we can win this match and get to the conference championship.”

So far, both teams have split the series.  The Raiders won the first on back in August and the Mountaineers won the latest one back on November 3rd.

Both matches went to the five-set maxes with either team just squeaking out with a set victory.

Confidence in this tournament so far has been high for Southern Oregon and Rohlfing is confident that his team can compete for a fourth CCC title in his many years as head coach.

“We feel good about our chances and know that if we play to our abilities we can win the conference tournament championship.” said Rohlfing, “We are an exceptionally athletic team that is just beginning to get physically healthy for the first time in about a month and a half.”

The Raiders are riding a momentum swing from the opening game against Warner Pacific off of a 50-20 run in the last two sets of the match Tuesday night. 

Southern Oregon will be taking their CCC second ranked blocks of 2.13, lead by sophmore Nikki Keller’s 1.12 blocks a set to go along with her CCC-leading .322 hitting percentage; against Eastern Oregon’s powerful offensive attack.

The Mountainners are ranked first in hitting percentage at .231, first in assist with 12.28 a set, first in kills at 13.17, and second in digs at 16.73 a set.  Their defense is great as they are second in holding opponents to .141 in hitting percentage en route to their 22-6 overall record.

But not to rule the Raiders out, the Raiders are fourth in hitting percentage with a .200 percentage and in assist with 11.54 a set, and are fifth in kills a set with 12.28.

Southern Oregon have shown they are tough in four sets, having the significant advantage in the first, third and fourth sets.

The keys to victory for Southern Oregon must be not giving the Moutaineers any type of wiggle room.  Eastern Oregon has shown themselves all season long that they can burn team’s if given the shot.

The second key to victory for the Raiders must be being able to win the second set.  To not have a hangover, a let down, from a successful first set.  Opponenets have won more sets against the Raiders 16-13 this season than in any other set.

If the Raiders can get the momentum in the first set and carry it through the second, they will have a legitimate shot to get to the CCC finals to face the winner of the Concordia/College of Idaho game this weekend.

Rohlfing has high exceptations of the squad to make a similar run as they did last season and grab the only automatic bid to the NAIA National Tournament bracket that saw them losing four games in to number seven Embry-Riddle of Flordia.

This quest will start Friday afternoon against the rival from the north at 3p.m. Ashland time.

Sources:

http://www.cascadeconference.org/custompages/wvball/2012/stats/CONFLDRS.HTM