CALDWELL, Idaho – In a battle of NAIA Top-25 teams, the University of Providence avenged a loss to the College of Idaho from last season's national tournament, stopping the Yotes in three sets on Day 1 of the C of I Labor Day Classic inside the J.A. Albertson Activities Center.
The No. 21-ranked Argos (7-0) earned a 27-25, 25-22, 25-23 victory – completing a Friday sweep, getting 16 kills from outside hitter Kelsey Shaver.
Kaydre Thompson had nine kills and five blocks for the 12th-ranked Yotes (3-2) – but the hosts were unable to close out opportunities in both the first and third sets.
A back-and-forth Set 1 saw C of I take a 22-20 lead on a combo-block, but UP got a pair of Shaver kills in a four-point surge to force set point. The Yotes battled back, tying the score at 24-24 and 25-25, but a Jensyn Turner kill gave the Argos their fourth set point – with a C of I hitting error ending the frame.
Both teams hit well in Set 2 – including C of I swinging at a .310 percent – but the Argos recorded four of their seven aces in the period, including consecutive aces from Renae Davis, to take a 22-17 lead and ease to the set win.
C of I surged in Set 3, using a 6-1 run to take a 15-8 lead. However, four-straight Coyote hitting errors and a UP ace got the visitors back in the set – grabbing their first lead at 19-18 on a Turner kill. The Yotes answered with kills from Thompson and
Ashley Pagan to tie the score at 23-23, but a Jensen kill earned a side-out and a combo-block by the Argos ended the match.
Jordyn Boswell had nine kills, with Pagan finishing with seven kills and a season-high 24 digs.
Abigail Guinn had 37 assists in the loss for the Yotes.
Turner finished with nine kills for UP, as the Argos held a 43-37 edge in kills and combined for eight team blocks.
Other Games on Day 1
Providence 3, Hope International 1 (13-25, 26-24, 25-19, 25-22): Shaver had 13 kills and Averi Dyer recorded 24 digs, as UP racked up 10 aces and 11 blocks in the four-set win. Camryn Rowell led the Royals with 13 kills.
Eastern Oregon 3, Cardinal Stritch 0 (25-14, 25-12, 25-16): Jet Taylor had eight kills and eight blocks, leading the No. 10 ranked Mountaineers to the straight-set win. Saige Smith led CSU with eight kills.
Hope International 3, Cardinal Stritch 0 (25-10, 25-20, 25-15): Natalie Hadder led HIU with eight kills and 13 digs in the victory, with Smith recording nine kills, 10 assists and seven digs in the loss for the Wolves.
Day 2 Schedule – Eastern Oregon vs. Providence, 9 a.m.; College of Idaho vs. Hope International, 11 a.m.; Providence vs. Cardinal Stritch, 1 p.m.; Eastern Oregon vs. Hope International, 5 p.m.; College of Idaho vs. Cardinal Stritch, 7 p.m.
