Clark College fell just short in a hard-fought five-set battle in last night's conference opener against Southwestern Oregon. Despite pushing the match to the limit, the Penguins fell just short of the victory, losing 3-2 in their first conference game of the season.
After a rough start in the opening set, where Southwestern Oregon dominated 25-10, the Penguins bounced back to take the second set 25-23, showing grit and determination. The third set slipped away, with SWOC claiming it 25-19, but the Penguins again responded in the fourth, winning 25-21 to force a decisive fifth set.
Clark fought valiantly but came up just short, falling 15-10 in the final set. The loss dropped the Penguins to 2-5 on the season and 0-1 in conference play.
Ruby Ochoa led the charge for Clark, recording 10 kills and contributing on defense with 5 blocks. Olivia Brown also had a standout performance, notching 7 kills and a team-high 17 digs. Setter Josie Becker dished out 22 assists and added 11 digs, helping keep the Penguins competitive throughout the match.
Despite their efforts, Clark struggled to maintain offensive consistency, hitting just .045 overall with 34 attacking errors. Their serving also fell short, with only 3 aces compared to Southwestern Oregon's 11.
Clark's defense kept them in the game, with 79 total digs and 8 blocks, but Southwestern Oregon's aggressive serving and crucial plays in the fifth set ultimately proved the difference. The Penguins will look to regroup as they aim for their first conference win in upcoming matches.
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