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- Subscribe - Contact Us - Rate Card - Place an Ad Archives Revels Classifieds Real Estate Guide Weather Subscribe Contact Us December 2, 2004 Raiders surprise No. 2 Lee Staff and wire reports Southern Oregon University snapped the country's longest collegiate volleyball win streak by stunning second-ranked Lee University in straight games at the NAIA Championships in San Diego on Wednesday night. The 21st-ranked Raiders (27-7) improved to 1-1 on the opening day of the 20-team tournament and sprang the event's biggest upset by dousing the previously undefeated Flames (44-1) 30-27, 30-27, 30-22. "It was pretty cool," Raider coach Paul Elliott said. "After getting crushed in our first match, we beat a team that was 44-0. We won a big match, but we can't say it's our best [national] performance yet." Senior outside hitter Kristin Ferris led SOU with a match-high 13 kills in 35 attempts, while junior libero Kristen Lilly paced an inspired Raider defensive effort with 18 digs. Junior setter Jamie McCreary assisted 39 of the team's 45 kills. Lee, which received four first-place votes in the final regular-season top-25 poll, was limited to a paltry .133 offensive efficiency despite a 10-kill, four-ace effort from Bosnian-born all-star hitter Bojana Vulin. "This is a great, great win," Elliott said. "After watching Lee (earlier in the season), I had a feeling that if we played our typical brand of solid defensive volleyball along with some good blocking that we'd give (the Flames) some problems. The key was getting Lee out-of-system offensively, and we did it." The win was Southern's second triumph over a second-ranked team this season. The Raiders opened the 2004 campaign by sweeping then-No. 2 Biola, Calif. on Aug. 27 in Fresno. What almost certainly ranks as the most significant victory in program history came on the heels of SOU's worst loss since 2001: a 30-20, 30-17, 30-21 setback to seventh-ranked National American, S.D. in the morning session. Junior all-star Nicholette Le Bel led Southern with seven kills, and Lilly had 12 digs, but SOU was limited to a .127 attack percentage compared to .391 for NAU and its even-player, all-Brazilian rotation. SOU continues pool play tomorrow with a 3:45 p.m. match against Indiana Southeast, which lost to Concordia and Lee on Wednesday. The Raiders, which must win at least one more match to have a chance to move into the quarterfinals, caps pool action Friday morning against eighth-ranked Concordia, Calif. "We played well today [Wednesday], but we know there's still a lot of work to do," Elliott said. "Going 2-2 [in pool play] probably won't be good enough [to move on] in a very tough pool." Winning both remaining pool-play matches would be the "best way to go," according to Elliott. "It'll probably end up being a must-win match," he said, explaining the Raiders should be able to handle the scrappy Indiana Southeast today, but will have to be on their game against Concordia of California. "They're very strong." DailyTidings.com Home Page Archives | Revels | Classifieds | Real Estate Guide | Weather | Subscribe | Contact Us Copyright 2005 Ashland Daily Tidings and Ottaway Newspapers All Rights Reserved Slippers Isotoner Slippers Dsw Shoes Ceramic Piggy Banks Fanny Mae Eloans Calenders 2005 Calender 2005 Accelerate Weight Loss Programs Citibank Student Loans Acs Loan Matchmaking & Dating Scripts Adventure Travel Conference Calls - $50/Month Security Systems student loan consolidation helzberg diamonds Click Here Site Search: .:Advertisements:. RESOURCES - Mail Tribune News - ODOT Road Cams