Volleyball team wraps up disappointing season
Riverhawks lose ninth straight with sophomore night defeat
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It was business as usual for the Riverhawk volleyball team in its Nov 11 match-up with the Chemeketa Storm. UCC entered the contest matching its season high eight game losing streak, and in search of their first conference victory in two years.
The Storm (22-14, 6-3 NWAC South) put an immediate halt to Umpqua’s (8-33, 0-9) hope for a victory by dealing them yet another loss with a straight set shellacking 25-14, 25-11, 25-9. It was their twenty-fourth straight set loss of the year.
Sophomore Jocelyn Valencia led the Riverhawks with 16 digs, while Mariah Gladden posted a team high eight kills. Terrin Misfeldt contributed 11 assists in the defeat.
After five months of games, practice, work-outs, tournaments and school work, the end of Umpqua’s season is right around the corner. UCC wraps up its second straight season failing to reach double figures in wins.
The Riverhawks finished its 2013 season (7-33, 0-10) with nearly an identical record as this season.
While the team’s hard work and effort are not questioned, unfortunately results in the sports landscape are defined by wins and losses. It has been a long couple of years on the volleyball court. Just two seasons ago, UCC had wrapped up its best season in nearly two decades.
The Riverhawks finished the 2012 season with a second place finish in conference, and a trip to the NWAC tournament where they brought home a fifth place trophy. Their 31-19 record was the best finish for a UCC volleyball team in 19 years.
The following season of 2013 provided drastically different results. Umpqua and Grays Harbor had the dubious distinction of going winless in conference play. This year UCC is the only team out of the 29 NWAC volleyball schools to go winless in conference play. In addition, only Centralia, Treasure Valley and Edmonds have posted lower win percentages then the Riverhawks.
UCC has seen a couple of very modest win streaks over the season. The Riverhawks posted back-to-back wins against Multnomah in early September, and shortly afterwards won two games in a row as well against Grays Harbor and New Hope Christian. Their four wins in five matches represented the pinnacle of Umpqua’s success.
Unfortunately the Riverhawks have witnessed a number of losing streaks as well. Umpqua opened the season with five straight losses, and posted five more after winning four of five in September. They also have seen themselves saddled with steaks of four, eight and now nine games without a victory.
Umpqua looks to prevent its tenth straight loss, and end its season on a winning note Nov 12 versus SW Oregon.