The trip from Crosspoint Christian in Klamath Falls to North Clackamas Christian in Oregon City is about 300 miles, but the only three and zero the Warriors cared about Wednesday night was on the scoreboard.
The No. 31 Warriors pulled off one of the biggest state playoff upsets in state history when they swept the No. 2 seed Saints 3-0 (25-15, 26-24, 25-14).
The 1A state tournament switched to 32 teams in 2022 and a No. 31 seed had never even won a set, let alone a match. The same goes for 6A where it switched to 32 teams in 2010, making the Warriors the first 31-seed to ever win a playoff match.
“Obviously it’s quite a ways for us to travel, but the girls were very determined,” Crosspoint head coach Holly Rice said. “I have a really great group of girls with lots of potential and it was so amazing to see them on fire and really playing their best game.”
Five seniors lead this Warriors team in libero Elizabeth Rivera, outside hitter Charlotte Spalding, middle blocker Keira Mahan, outside hitter Ashlynn Engelgau and outside hitter Calia Dodd.
Everyone one of those seniors contributed something on or off the court, and really the whole team did to help pull off the incredible upset.
Not bad for a team with only one girl over 5-foot-6.
“We don’t have a ton of tall girls, but the blockers that we have, even just getting a touch off the block, it made it possible for our defense to pick up,” Rice said. “I tell the girls this all the time, ‘Defense wins games.’ We got our serves in, we dug the ball, we got touches off blocks. As a unit, I would say this is the best game we’ve ever played.”
On top of the historic seeding upset, it was also the first postseason win in Crosspoint Christian volleyball history.
Last season, a Warriors squad with only one senior snuck into the playoffs as the No. 32 seed before being bounced. Coming back in 2025 with that experience made a big difference going against No. 2 North Clackamas Christian.
“I think they’re a little bit tickled that everyone’s saying all the things above how we’ve made history, the No. 31 beat the No. 2 and this doesn’t happen,” Rice said. “They’re pretty excited to have that and it helps build a lot of pride in being a Warrior. People back home in our school are so excited and that makes them feel even more proud.
“Our goal from the summer, from the beginning, was to make it past the first round of state playoffs. It feels amazing when you reach that goal as a team.”
With a first-round win under their belt and school history being made, the Warriors head to the second round against No. 15 St. Paul, which is about another 260 miles away, 520 round-trip.
But hanging out in the car for a few hours means nothing for Crosspoint now as it looks to pull off another upset and head to the 1A final site at La Grande High School next week.
“I told them before (the match), ‘We’re playing for each other, this is about us,’” Rice said. “I know that they’re going to carry that into the next match we play. … I think having this win under our belt is going to help the girls know that even when you travel, there’s still a chance to win.”
More highlights from round one
6A
No. 1 Sprague def. No. 32 Gresham 3-0 (25-8, 25-19, 25-12): Emma Brewer helped the Olympians walk into the second round with 18 kills and eight digs while swinging .448 against the Gophers. Brooke Friesen had 26 assists and two blocks while Valen Longacre had seven kills and Anna Morley had five.
No. 17 St. Mary’s Academy def. No. 16 Mountainside 3-1 (23-25, 25-19, 25-23, 25-19)
No. 9 South Medford def. No. 24 Clackamas 3-0: Panther setter Julia Slaughter was everywhere with 26 assists, seven aces, six kills and three blocks to help sweep the Cavaliers. Mayen Akpan added 22 kills with 10 digs and three blocks and Julia Mitchell contributed 11 kills, eight digs and three aces.
No. 8 Central Catholic def. No. 25 McNary 3-0 (25-20, 25-11, 25-17)
No. 5 Nelson def. No. 28 Glencoe 3-0 (25-18, 25-18, 25-11)
No. 21 Lakeridge def. No. 12 Lincoln 3-0
No. 13 Sandy def. No. 20 McDaniel 3-2 (25-17, 22-25, 25-19, 23-25, 15-11): After falling behind 6-2 in the final set, the Pioneers rattled off a 9-0 run to survive in five sets over the Mountain Lions. Lena Smith led the Pioneers with 20 kills, three aces and a block while Anna Orlowski had 14 kills and three blocks. Jaycee Tankersley chipped in 13 kills.
No. 4 Sheldon def. No. 29 Cleveland 3-0: Yana Tuioti had 10 kills and two blocks to help the Irish breeze by the Warriors. Addy Zauner added nine kills, three blocks and three aces, and Savannah McKibben and Natalia Shoemaker held the back line with seven digs each.
No. 3 Jesuit def. No. 30 Lake Oswego 3-0 (25-14, 25-16, 25-11): The defending champion Crusaders cruised in the sweep of the Lakers. Jada Johnson led in kills with 11 while Sadie Ross had 10 and Alex Douglas had nine. Zola Zuccolo had 26 assists and nine digs while Ellie Holverson had two blocks.
No. 14 Grant def. No. 19 West Linn 3-2 (20-25, 25-21, 22-25, 25-22, 16-14): The Generals survived a thriller at home behind 21 kills, 18 digs and three aces from Osa Olsgaard. Macy Davis chipped in 14 digs, Millie Williams had 10 kills and two blocks, and Eloise Armstrong had nine kills and four blocks.
No. 11 Oregon City def. No. 22 North Medford 3-1 (25-19, 22-25, 26-24, 25-20): The Black Tornado were led by Kristina Atonio with 12 kills, 13 assists, four blocks, five digs and two aces.
No. 6 Forest Grove def. No. 27 Ida B. Wells 3-0 (25-17, 25-12, 25-14): Sydney Chrismer had 20 kills and eight digs to lead the Vikings in the sweep. Sofie Fox had 33 assists to lead the offense and also had 11 digs with three aces. They’ll host Oregon City next, meeting up with the Pioneers for the third year in a row in the second round.
No. 7 South Eugene def. No. 26 Sunset 3-0 (25-17, 25-21, 25-20): The Axe had 45 digs as a team and hit .209 in the win over the Apollos. Sofia Collins hit .281 with 11 kills while Caroline Combs hit .278 with 15 kills. Lucy Alkire dished out 35 assists and Kylie Smith had 17 digs.
No. 10 Westview def. No. 23 Sherwood 3-0 (25-18, 25-12, 25-8): Ashlyn Pedersen led the Wildcats with 14 kills and a block to sweep by the Bowmen. Setter Logan Kekaualua had 17 assists, seven digs and three aces while libero Mady Lebeck was everywhere with 21 digs. Reese O’Neill had 12 digs, four kills and four aces; Abbey Meier had six kills and five digs; and Liv Clement had eight kills and a block.
No. 18 Barlow def. No. 15 West Salem 3-0 (25-23, 25-15, 25-22)
No. 2 South Salem def. No. 31 Century 3-0 (25-7, 25-13, 25-19): Kamree Orizotti, the new all-time Oregon leader in assists, handed out 19 more with four aces in the Saxons’ sweep. Briella Mathis had nine kills with three aces, Addison Herber had five kills and four blocks, and Ellenia Setzer had six aces. “We came in wanting to play a clean, consistent match and try to control the tempo from start to finish, and the girls came out and executed really well,” Saxons head coach Matt Leichty said.
3A
No. 16 Portland Adventist def. No. 17 North Valley 3-1 (25-22, 17-25, 25-21, 25-20): The Cougars got their first postseason win since 2009 with the victory over the Knights. Josie Kilmer had 12 kills, seven blocks and four aces to lead the way while Claire Yoo had eight kills and a block, and Mia Patchin had nine kills.
No. 20 Warrenton def. No. 13 Creswell 3-2 (18-25, 15-25, 25-20, 25-20, 18-16)
No. 14 St. Mary’s Medford def. No. 19 Corbett 3-0 (25-15, 25-19, 25-19): Ada Bernard put down 19 kills for the Crusaders along with three aces and 10 digs. Ella Yeamans handed out 30 assists, Lexi Smith had 22 digs and the team as a whole had 12 aces in the sweep.
No. 18 Pleasant Hill def. No. 15 Banks 3-0 (25-19, 25-22, 25-23)
1A
No. 1 Crane def. No. 32 Alsea 3-0 (25-10, 25-11, 25-13)
No. 17 Rogue Valley Adventist def. No. 16 Ione/Arlington 3-0 (25-21, 25-14, 25-23)
No. 9 Joseph def. No. 24 Adrian 3-0 (25-21, 25-17, 25-18)
No. 8 North Douglas def. No. 25 Perrydale 3-0 (25-9, 25-20, 25-7): Payton Rabuck helped the Warriors sweep by Perrydale with 15 digs, 10 kills and four aces. Presly Frey had nine kills and two blocks, Paisley Muse had 20 assists and 12 digs, and Tehya Williams had 21 digs.
No. 5 Powder Valley def. No. 28 Country Christian 3-0 (25-18, 25-7, 25-12): Janie Bingham was in her bag once again with 27 assists and eight digs. Kellee Dixon led the attack with seven kills and she also had seven digs and four aces. Hannah Martin chipped in two blocks and three aces.
No. 12 Elkton def. No. 21 Damascus Christian 3-0 (25-15, 25-14, 25-12): Alisha Shepherd helped send the Elks to the second round with 18 assists and nine digs. Mishayla Nederhood led the attack with 10 kills along with seven digs, and Brooklyn Geyer had 14 digs and six kills.
No. 13 Prairie City def. No. 20 Elgin 3-1 (25-20, 23-25, 27-25, 25-16)
No. 4 Umpqua Valley Christian def. No. 29 Echo 3-0 (25-10, 25-19, 25-10): Meagan Hellenthal had 19 kills to pace the Monarchs while Avery Renyer had 14 assists and seven digs. Julia Johnson added in 10 kills, five assists and three aces while the middles in Sydney Saylor and Bailey Pappas each had three blocks.
No. 3 Central Christian def. No. 30 Willamette Valley Christian 3-0 (25-6, 25-23, 25-9): The Tigers are into the second round after middle blocker Tabitha Terry had 10 kills, four aces and three blocks while hitting .560. Outside hitter Tatum Wills also had nine kills and three aces in the sweep.
No. 14 Triangle Lake def. No. 19 Powers 3-2 (25-22, 17-25, 25-19, 25-27, 15-8): The Lakers survived in five after a big night at the net for Samara Baker with 13 kills, nine blocks and nine aces. Lauren Smith directed traffic with 32 assists and five kills, and Jessica Bottensek had seven kills and eight digs.
No. 11 Southwest Christian def. No. 22 South Wasco County 3-0 (25-13, 25-11, 25-20)
No. 6 North Lake def. No. 27 Glendale 3-0 (25-17, 25-17, 26-24)
No. 7 Dufur def. No. 26 Mannahouse Christian 3-1 (25-27, 25-11, 26-24, 25-21)
No. 10 Imbler def. No. 23 Mohawk 3-0 (25-8, 25-16, 25-16): Kali Camp led the Panthers in kills with eight while Jeytt Cant and Isla Howard each had seven. Olivia Haddock had 14 assists and Whitney Haddock had 12.
No. 15 St. Paul def. No. 18 Sherman 3-0 (25-19, 25-19, 25-17): The Buckaroos are into round two after Sienna Meza had 16 kills, nine digs and four aces. Lila Wolf had 21 assists and 10 digs while Annie Cavazos had 18 assists, 11 digs and three kills. Emery Williams also chipped in 14 kills.
No. 31 Crosspoint Christian def. No. 2 North Clackamas Christian 3-0 (25-15, 26-24, 25-14)
austinw@osaa.org
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