Southern Oregon Volleyball Enters Cascade Conference Tournament

Southern Oregon University volleyball enters the Cascade Conference Tournament on Thursday in Caldwell, Idaho, needing three wins in three days to reclaim the championship.

The No. 4-seeded Raiders carry a 21-9 overall record into a tournament that features five teams ranked in the NAIA Top 25. According to Southern Oregon University Athletics, the squad faces a high-stakes quarterfinal match against the No. 5-seeded Lewis-Clark State Warriors at 4 p.m. on Thursday.

Winning this opening matchup is about more than just a conference trophy. A quarterfinal victory would likely secure the Raiders’ position to host an Opening Round match on Nov. 21. Those winners will eventually advance to the Tyson Events Center in Sioux City, Iowa, to compete in the national tournament from Dec. 2-8.

The rivalry with Lewis-Clark State

The upcoming matchup against Lewis-Clark State promises to be a physical battle, given how the two teams matched up during the regular season. Southern Oregon University Athletics reported that both regular-season meetings between the Raiders and the 19-8 Warriors went to five sets.

The Raiders took the first encounter on their home court on Sept. 4, overcoming a two-set deficit and a 14-12 hole in the tiebreaker. However, Lewis-Clark State won the Oct. 10 rematch after Southern Oregon surrendered a 15-11 lead in the fourth set.

The Warriors bring heavy offensive pressure to the court in Caldwell. They currently rank 10th in the NAIA for kills per set with an average of 13.2 and hold the 18th-best attacking average at .233. Their attack is driven by a trio of hitters:

Taylor Boyce: 3.3 kills per set
Mikale Roy: 2.9 kills per set
Hadyn Smith: 2.6 kills per set

Boyce has been particularly effective against the Raiders’ defense, recording 40 kills across 10 sets played against Southern Oregon this season.

Despite the recent split, Southern Oregon maintains a historical advantage in this matchup. The Raiders lead the all-time series 25-10 and won the only previous tournament meeting between the programs, a five-set quarterfinal in 2022.

Southern Oregon seeks another Cascade Conference title

Southern Oregon enters the postseason with a proven track record in the Cascade Conference. The program holds eight all-time tournament titles, the most of any team in the conference. Their most recent championship came in 2024, marking their third title in six seasons.

The path to the title in Caldwell is crowded with talent. The tournament site is hosting several high-ranking programs, including No. 1 College of Idaho, No. 2 Eastern Oregon, and No. 6 Corban. While the tournament champion earns the conference’s second automatic qualifying bid for the NAIA Tournament, the depth of the field suggests most remaining teams are positioned for at-large bids.

The Raiders are currently seeking their sixth NAIA Tournament appearance in the last eight seasons. Last year, the team’s tournament run ended in the play-in round against Walla, though the Wolves later forfeited their victories following the use of an ineligible player.

The quarterfinal schedule in Caldwell includes Corban facing Bushnell at 1 p.m. on Thursday, followed by the Southern Oregon and Lewis-Clark State match at 4 p.m.

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