BUTTE, Mont. –
Austyn Mauzy and
Mackenzie Keating had career days, leading the College of Idaho to a pair of victories to close out competition at the Big Sky Volleyball Challenge inside Butte Civic Center.
The Yotes (3-1) used big runs to topple No. 13-ranked Rocky Mountain 25-22, 25-14, 25-18, while outlasting Olivet Nazarene in an afternoon match, 25-13, 20-25, 25-19, 25-20.
In the morning match, C of I limited the Bears (5-3) to a .081 hitting percentage, using a 47-29 edge in kills in the win. The Coyotes had huge runs in all three sets – using an 11-2 run to break an 8-all tie in Set 1; used a 13-3 run in Set 2 to take a 19-7 lead; with a 10-3 surge in Set 3 putting the match away.
Keating and freshman
Jordyn Boswell each had 11 kills,
Jade Warren had nine spikes and both Mauzy and
Kaydre Thompson had six kills.
Abigail Guinn had 35 assists and 15 digs, with
Drew Dobney racking up 26 digs and two aces. Daniella Russell had 10 kills and 12 digs for RMC.
Meeting the Tigers (2-2) for the first time since 2002, C of I blitzed the Illinois school in Set 1 – with Dobney using a pair of aces in a 10-2 push. After ONU scored seven-straight points to take a second set victory, the Yotes dominated the final two frames – scoring 12 of 14 points in Set 3 to pull away – while scoring the last six points of the match to erase a 20-19 deficit.
Mauzy led the way with 17 kills and Keating matched her career-best with 11 kills and Bowell added 10. Guinn had her third double-double of the tournament with 36 assists and 11 digs, with Dobney logging 19 digs and four aces.
The Coyotes return home next weekend – joining four other teams to compete in the C of I Labor Day Classic.
