SIOUX CITY, Iowa – The College of Idaho put a scare in third-ranked Missouri Baptist, but the Spartans outlasted the Lady Yotes in four sets on Day 2 of the NAIA Volleyball National Championships inside the Tyson Events Center.
Box Score MBU (36-4) defeated C of I 20-25, 25-22, 25-15, 26-24 to improve to 2-0 in Pool C play, while the Lady Yotes fell to 1-1. Both teams have matches tomorrow – C of I vs. Ottawa (Kan.) at Noon (MT) and MoBap against Rocky Mountain at 2:15 p.m. (MT) – which will determine the two teams to advance to the single-elimination championship bracket. A win by C of I (23-11) would assure at worst a tiebreak set to advance to bracket play, while a win and a Rocky 3-set sweep of Missouri Baptist would secure the Yotes the top seed in the pool heading into the single-elimination competition.
The Lady Yotes came to play in Set 1, getting a pair of
Jackie van Vliet blocks in a 5-point run that built a 19-11 lead, with
Kylie Porter registering four kills as C of I grabbed the early frame.
C of I jumped out to a 13-9 lead in Set 2, but the Spartans rode the swing of Mallory Dillon, getting two of her eight kills in the period to even the score at 14-14. After six stalemates, the Yotes took a 22-21 lead on an MBU error, but Dillon smashed two kills in a 4-point run to help the American Midwest Conference champs steal the set win.
MBU dominated Set 3, recording just two attack errors – getting five kills from Kristina Medanovic – to ease to the win. In Set 4, C of I busted out to a 10-4 lead on the strength of two kills and two blocks from Porter. The Spartans responded with four Dillon kills and four C of I hitting errors to rally, taking a 19-17 advantage. The Yotes got even at 19-19, but 11-straight side-outs set up MoBap's second match point, with a combo-block from Hannah Carey and Logan Mennemeyer ending the match.
Dillon led the Spartans with 22 kills and 10 digs, Medanovic had 15 kills, with Taylor Cook adding 14. Setter Ally Krus had 60 assists and 10 digs, with libero Haley Pouliezos leading all players with 26 digs.
Porter led the Yotes with 11 kills and six blocks, with van Vliet recording eight kills and six blocks.
Sierra Porter had 37 assists, six digs, four blocks and two aces, with
Kilee Lopez adding 20 digs.
