SIOUX CITY, Iowa – An efficient offensive day helped the College of Idaho defeat Ottawa (Kan.) at the NAIA Volleyball National Championships, allowing the Lady Yotes to move out of Pool Play for the first time since 2012.
The Yotes (24-11) recorded 59 kills at a .363 attack percentage in the 25-12, 17-25, 25-14, 25-16 victory over the Braves, securing the second of two berths into the single-elimination Championship Bracket – four victories away from a national title.
C of I will meet Midland (Neb.) in the first-round at 12:30 p.m. (CT) It marks the sixth time in 11 trips to the NAIA Championships that the Yotes have advanced out of Pool Play (2006, 2008, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2015), with the 2011 team reaching the national quarterfinals. The winner will meet Missouri Baptist at 8 p.m. (CT) in the quarterfinals.
Kylie Porter dominated the first set for the Yotes, blasting nine kills in the period – including three in an opening 10-2 run – as C of I piled up 19 kills and a .500 hitting percentage in the win.
The Braves (34-7) turned the tide in Set 2, as Janaya Fox recorded seven of her match-high 18 kills in the frame. Fox had three-straight kills in a 10-2 run that broke open a 6-5 score to even the match.
The Yotes gained momentum midway through Set 3, as
Cheyan Coburn served up seven straight points, as C of I erased a 10-9 deficit. A
Jackie van Vliet kill gave the Coyotes a 17-10 lead, as the Cascade Conference champs closed the set on a 16-4 push.
Set 4 was all C of I, as
Brielle Sheppeard recorded back-to-back aces and Porter logged three consecutive kills in a 9-2 spurt that built a 14-5 lead that was never headed.
Porter finished with 17 kills and four blocks;
Katy Robinson had 11 kills; van Vliet recorded 10 kills and four blocks; with
Randi Sturtz recording nine kills in the win. Setter
Sierra Porter clocked her 44th career double-double with 49 assists and 16 digs.
OU got 12 kills from Avery Enzbrenner and 36 assists from Bethany Farris.
