TACOMA, WASH. – The Umpqua women’s volleyball team couldn’t sustain the momentum built after Thursday’s first round upset win and the Lady Riverhawks dropped into the consolation bracket of the Northwest Athletic Conference championship tournament after losing 3-0 against Lower Columbia Friday morning.
The Riverhawks challenged the Red Devils in the first set, but lost 25-22. It was mostly downhill from there for Umpqua. Lower Columbia took the final two sets 25-17 and 25-21.
Olivia Gulliford led the Umpqua attack with 13 kills and Kaysie Cornellio had 19 digs to lead the defense.
Umpqua now falls to the consolation bracket, where the Riverhawks will face elimination. Up next is a match against Edmonds Community College. The Tritons lost to Linn-Benton in the first round, but staved off elimination by Pierce College in a consolation game Thursday. Umpqua and Edmonds square off at 3 p.m. Friday.