CALDWELL, Idaho – College of Idaho rebounded from a rare home loss in convincing fashion, closing out the 2019 Labor Day Classic with victories over Hope International and Cardinal Stritch inside the J.A. Albertson Activities Center.
The Yotes (5-2) opened with a 25-21, 22-25, 30-28, 25-12 victory over HIU, before recording a season-high in hitting percentage in a 25-18, 25-17, 25-16 win over CSU.
In the morning match, C of I used a 14-8 edge in total blocks – as three different players recorded at least six blocks – withstanding a Royals (6-3) team that entered the tournament with a 5-1 mark.
Jordyn Boswell had a pair of first set kills, part of a 15-kill effort, helping C of I erase a 13-12 deficit with a 7-1 surge, to earn the set win. HIU returned the favor in Set 2, as Natalie Hadder blasted three kills in a six-point push to give the visitors control of the period and even the match.
Set 3 was back-and-forth, as C of I took a 21-15 edge on an
Ashley Pagan kill, only to see HIU rally to regain the lead at 24-23. After the Royals squandered three set points and the Coyotes squander a pair – C of I got a key
Kaydre Thompson kill to break a 28-28 tie, with a combo-block from
Jade Warren and
Abigail Guinn ending the set.
The Yotes made quick work in Set 4 – as Warren blasted three kills in a 14-4 run.
Boswell added nine digs and seven blocks; Thompson had 11 kills and eight blocks; Warren had nine kills and six blocks; with Guinn finishing with 43 assists and 15 digs. Pagan had nine kills and 16 digs and
Drew Dobney led all players with 28 digs.
Hadder led HIU with 14 kills and 14 digs.
C of I dominated the evening match – hitting at a .395 clip – thanks to 13 kills from
Mackenzie Keating. The Yotes jumped out to an 11-3 lead in Set 1; used a six-point run in Set 2 and a 12-2 run in Set 3 to complete the sweep.
Thompson had seven kills and three blocks, with Guinn adding 27 assists and three blocks in the win.
Saige Smith led CSU (0-4) with 10 kills and 14 digs.
OTHER MATCHES
Eastern Oregon 3, Providence 1 (20-25, 25-23, 25-5, 25-16)
Providence 3, Cardinal Stritch 0 (25-17, 25-15, 25-19)
Eastern Oregon 3, Hope International 0 (25-21, 25-17, 25-23)
