FULLERTON, Calif. – With their middle blockers leading the way, the College of Idaho swept a pair of matches on Day 2 of the HIU Summer Slam, becoming the first Lady Yote team in program history to open a season with a 4-0 mark.
The No. 25 ranked Coyotes topped Morningside (Iowa) in three sets in an early afternoon tilt, adding a four-set win over in-state rival Lewis-Clark State to share the tournament crown with Cornerstone (Mich.).
The 1997, 2005 and 2011 teams each started a season 3-0, but fueled by 37 aces and over two blocks per set, the 2017 Lady Yotes established the new mark.
COLLEGE OF IDAHO 3, MORNINGSIDE 0 (26-24, 25-20, 26-24)
Alaina Slater continued her solid play, leading three C of I players in double-figure kills with 12 as the Yotes dispatched the first team listed in the others' receiving votes category in the NAIA Top-25 poll.
The Mustangs (3-1) took a 20-16 in Set 1, but a kill and block from
Jackie van Vliet helped C of I pull even at 21-21. Following six consecutive side outs, Slater pounded down a kill and a MC error ended the set.
C of I trailed midway through Set 2 at 15-12, but kills from
Taylor Alexander and Slater, along with a combo-block from the duo, keyed a five-point push by the Yotes. Leading 22-20, the Purple and Gold got a huge dig from
Kilee Lopez on a long point, with
Brenna Meehan driving home the winner for a key side out.
Brielle Sheppeard followed with an ace and
Ashley Pagan hammered a kill to the middle of the court to end the frame.
In the clincher, the Yotes led throughout, but saw Jenn Buyert slam a pair of kills in a 4-0 run to even the score at 24-24. C of I countered in a flash, as Alexander spiked home a winner and Lopez ripped an ace to secure the victory.
Pagan had 11 kills and 12 digs, Meehan had 10 kills and Alexander added nine more in the victory.
Marija Djonovic logged a double-double with 43 assists and 11 digs, with Lopez adding 16 digs and 3 aces. Buyert and Brittni Olsen led MC with eight kills.
COLLEGE OF IDAHO 3, LEWIS-CLARK STATE 1 (27-29, 25-13, 25-22, 25-22)
A career-high 18 kills from van Vliet helped the Yotes overcome a slow start to end a four-match losing streak to LCSC (0-4).
C of I hit just .075 in an opening set that featured seven ties and six lead changes. The Yotes trailed 23-19 but got two Alexander kills in a 5-0 run to earn set point. Both teams squandered two set point chances, before L-C closed the period with an Aubrey King kill and a combo-block.
The Yotes wasted no time squaring the match, as Meehan blasted a trio of kills in an opening 9-1 run as C of I eased to a Set 2 win.
The trio of Alexander, Slater and van Vliet combined for 10 kills in a Set 3 win, each recording a kill in a 4-0 run that broke a 13-13 tie – and C of I never trailed again.
L-C did not quit, taking advantage of a pair of aces in a 5-1 Set 4 run to lead 20-16. The momentum ended thanks to van Vliet, who had two kills and a block in a 9-2 run to close the match.
Alexander finished with 15 kills and Meehan added 12 in the victory, with Djonovic doubling up with 46 assists and 12 digs and Lopez leading all players with 24 digs.
C of I returns to action on Wednesday night, hosting rival Northwest Nazarene in an exhibition match-up at 7 p.m.
