KIRKLAND, Wash. – A milestone night for
Jackie van Vliet was spoiled by Northwest University, as the Eagles snapped the College of Idaho's six-match win streak with a four-set win inside Kristi Brodin Pavilion.
The Eagles (14-11, 10-6 CCC) used a 12-6 edge in total blocks to topple the No. 16 ranked Coyotes, 25-13, 26-24, 20-25, 31-29.
The loss overshadowed a 12-kill performance by van Vliet, giving the senior 1,007 career kills – becoming just the ninth C of I player to surpass 1,000-kills for a career and the second with at least 1,000 kills and 500 blocks.
NU dominated the opening period, using a 12-2 run to take a 17-5 lead and were never headed. The Yotes (17-7, 12-4) were in control of Set 2, leading 17-10, but the Eagles used three blocks in a 9-1 push to regain the lead and after a 20-20 stalemate – broke a string of nine consecutive side-outs with a Courteney Carr aces to close the set.
C of I bounced back to take Set 3, as a
Mali Sawyer kill started a three-point run to break a 16-16 tie, while in Set 4, three-straight
Ashley Pagan kills erased a NU 23-20 lead. The two teams combined for 12-straight side-outs – with the Yotes fighting off six Eagles match-points, before a Keann White-Ashley Saelens combo block on a Pagan swing ended the match.
Pagan had a big night in the loss, recording 18 kills and 20 digs, with Sawyer and
Taylor Alexander each recording 12 kills. Marjia Djonovic had 27 assists and 10 digs and
Margie Beeler added 23 assists and seven digs in the road setback.
White led NU with 12 kills and five blocks, with Saelens finishing with eight kills and a match-high nine blocks, while Carr had 40 assists and 10 digs.
C of I returns home next weekend for key matches vs. Northwest Christian and Corban.
