SIOUX CITY, Iowa – The College of Idaho had four players with double-digit kills and battled national champion Park University to four tough sets before dropping a 25-18, 25-20, 23-25, 25-19 decision in the first-round of the elimination bracket at the NAIA Volleyball National Championships in the Tyson Events Center.
The No. 2-ranked Pirates (33-1) – who lost just their ninth set of the season in today's Set 3 loss – will meet Southern Oregon in tonight's quarterfinal, while the Lady Yotes saw their season come to a close.
Facing their second Top-2 opponent in as many days, C of I (24-10) had a balanced attack – including a career-high 14 kills from senior
Mali Sawyer – but twin sisters Nada Meawad and Noura Meawad combined for 34 kills and 26 digs to lead the Bucs.
Noura Meawad hammered home two kills in a seven-point Set 1 run that turned a 7-6 Park lead into a 14-6 advantage that was never threatened. The 2014 national champs opened Set 2 on a 15-5 run before two kills each by
Jackie van Vliet and
Taylor Alexander keyed a 6-1 C of I run that cut the gap to 23-20 – only to see the Pirates score the final two points to close out the set.
Alyssa Flint had four kills in an 11-2 Set 3 run for Park that erased a 13-10 C of I lead – with the Pirates extending the margin to 23-18. The Yotes didn't quit, stunning the Bucs by scoring the final seven points – getting three kills and three block assists from van Vliet in the push to force a fourth set.
C of I was within 17-15 in Set 4, but Park proved too much. Two Maren Roper kills highlighted a 6-1 run that put the match away.
Nada Meawad had 19 kills and 14 digs, with Noura Meawad recording 15 kills and 12 digs to lead the Bucs. Flint had 12 kills and Danna Gomes finished with a match-high 54 assists.
Alexander closed her career with 13 kills and nine digs, with van Vliet recording 12 kills and three blocks – ending her four-year run with the Yotes with 1,097 kills and 557 total blocks. Setter
Marija Djonovic had 51 assists and 11 digs – finishing her career with 2,717 assists, fifth-most by a Coyote.
Ashley Pagan had 11 kills and 20 digs – finishing the year with 462 kills and 530 digs, just the third C of I player with at least 450 kills and 500 digs in a year.
C of I has now won 24 or more matches in 10 of the past 12 seasons.
