CONCORDIA OVERCOMES EOU

BACKWARD SET: Eastern Oregon setter Cassie Beyer passes the ball during Saturdays match against Concordia. (The Observer/PAT PERKINS).

By Pat Perkins

Observer Staff Writer

The Eastern Oregon Mountaineers control their playoff destiny on the volleyball court.

Eighth-ranked Concordia dominated Eastern in three games Saturday, dropping the Mountaineers a half-game behind Evergreen State and Northwest in the quest for the Cascade Collegiate Conferences sixth and final playoff spot.

The good news is Eastern has beaten those teams this season and plays them on the road this weekend.

Its all in our hands. Were starting to play better volleyball, Eastern coach Sharon Campbell said.

Campbell knew beating Concordia was a longshot. The Cavs rolled to their 30-18, 30-22, 30-21 victory with strong hitting.

Campbell changed her offense in the second game because Concordia was exploiting the fact that setter Cassie Beyer isnt expected to be a blocker on the front row.

They were killing us on the line, Campbell said. Theyre the first team that really exploited it all year.

Emily Weaver and Andrea Rose led Concordia with 12 and 10 kills. Concordia (17-3 overall, 13-0 conference) had 57 kills to only 19 hitting errors.

Elaine McKinstry had 10 kills for Eastern (7-14, 4-9).

Eastern managed to keep the second game close two-thirds of the way through. In fact, the Mountaineers trailed 22-21 before Concordias hitters took over and the Cavs scored eight of the next nine points.