KLAMATH FALLS, Ore. – The LC State Volleyball season came to an end on Tuesday night in the quarterfinal of the Cascade Conference Championship, presented by U.S. Bank. The sixth-seeded Warriors fell to the third-seeded Oregon Tech Owls in Klamath Falls, Ore., by a final of 3-1 (25-21, 23-25, 25-11, 25-22).
 
"We just couldn't get anything going from the service line," Head Coach Shaun Pohlman said. "Missed serves only become important if we get a couple before we miss, and we just didn't do that. It also wasn't our best night for passing and if you can't serve or pass, it's really hard to win. We were able to put pressure on a couple players and really slowed down their best one, but we couldn't get a rhythm long enough from serve or receive."
 
LC State finished the 2021 season with a 16-15 record overall, 11-11 in the first full season of Cascade Conference play.
 
"I want to give a nod to our three seniors and thank them for their time as Warriors," Pohlman added. "With our returning group, we are looking forward to a full year. I haven't had a true full off-season since spring of 2019. In terms of skill and leadership development, that is an eternity. We have some great experience to build from for 2022. We moved the needle this year by making the tournament and next year we get a chance to move the needle some more."
 
A kill by Cassidy Nelson got the scoring started for LC State before a run of five put the Warriors in front 7-4. Tori Edwards tallied a kill in the stretch filled with OIT errors, and a kill by Jada Wyms made it a 9-6 advantage. The Owls went on a three-point run to tie the score 9-9, but a solo block and a kill by Carli Berntson put LC back in front 11-9.
 
Nelson and Kenzie Dean added to the run with a kill and an ace, respectively, and a kill by Berntson helped stretch the run to five with the Warriors ahead 15-10. OIT rattled off five to erase the lead and tie things up 16-16 before gaining the advantage. Oregon Tech took the opening set 25-21.
 
An ace by Kendzee Cloward and a kill by Berntson put the Warriors up 2-0 to begin the second set. Wyms and Channa Hart put up a block to make it 3-1. Edwards sparked a run of run, aided by a pair of swings by Grecia Ung Enriquez, to push the lead to 9-4. The two teams traded points back-and-forth until OIT took a two-point lead at 22-10.
 
LC State surged ahead with a four-point rally on a block by Wyms and Berntson and OIT errors. A kill by Berntson ended the set and even the match 1-1.
 
The Owls jumped out to a 16-6 advantage in the third frame before running away with the set 25-11.
 
 A kill by Nelson and block by Berntson gave the Warriors a 2-1 edge in the beginning of the fourth set. Trailing 7-4, the Warriors strung together three points with a block by Wyms and kills by Ung Enriquez to even the score, and a kill by Hallie Seaman kept LC within striking distance at 12-10.
 
Wyms put up a solo block to start a run of three and pull the Warriors within one of OIT at 17-16. Back-to-back points on an OIT error and kill by Berntson fought off a set-point, but the Owls prevailed 25-22.
 
Berntson led the way with 14 kills at a .423 attack percentage, and Edwards added eight. Hannah Martinez dished out 18 assists and Jess Ruffing had 11. Dean collected 17 digs, Cloward had 11 and Martinez notched a double-double with 10 digs.
 
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