PORTLAND, Ore. – The Multnomah University volleyball team managed to avoid the sweep against seventh-ranked Eastern Oregon, losing in four sets, 13-25, 25-23, 11-25 and 15-25, on Friday night on Jim Skagen Court.
 
The Lions drop to 9-14 overall, 3-12 in the Cascade Collegiate Conference, while the Mountaineers stay in first place in the standings, improving to 23-5, 16-1 CCC.
 
How it Happened: Both teams traded blows in the opening set of the night before Eastern used a 8-2 run in the middle of the set to pull away from the Lions, taking the early lead 25-13.
 
EOU finished the match with a .254 hitting percentage, holding the Lions to a percentage of .051.
 
After dropping the first three points of the second set, the Lions managed to score eight of the next nine points to lead 8-4. With the score tied 18-18, MU worked a 6-3 run to break away before a setting error by Eastern tied the match at one set apiece.
 
Eastern controlled the final two sets of the match, stringing together multiple points numerous times in both, EOU held the Lions to a .034 hitting percentage in the third set and .062 in the final set of the night to win their fourth conference match in a row.
 
By the Numbers: Multnomah's Miranda Halverson continued to lead the offense for the Lions as she's done all year, tallying 12 kills while Hannah Antal added nine kills and Patty Batoon finished with eight.
 
Setter Marissa Rhodes tallied the second most assists in her career at 36 while Kiana Miller tied a match high 17 digs in the back row.
 
For Eastern, Rachelle Chamberlain facilitated the attack, recording a match high 41 assists to go along with 11 digs and four kills. Emily Nay finished with a team high 12 kills followed by Kasaundra Tuma with nine and Makayla Lindburg and Sierra Linke with seven each.
 
From the Coach: "The girls had an awesome second game where they went for it and it worked for us," said head coach Jenna Bouey. "Batoon had an amazing blocking night and Miller and Rachel Woodcock had some incredible ups for us in the back row."
 
Coming up Next: The Lions return to action tomorrow night in Lytle Gymnasium as they host College of Idaho at 5 p.m.