CALDWELL, Idaho – Channeling energy from nearly two dozen former players in attendance for Homecoming, The College of Idaho recorded a season-high 66 kills, outlasting The Evergreen State College in four sets in the J.A. Albertson Activities Center.
The Yotes (8-11, 5-6 CCC) used a late-set rally to claim Set 3 and scored the final five points of the match to record the 27-25, 23-25, 27-25, 25-20 victory, improving to 21-0 all-time at home against the Geoducks.
Danielle Neuman had a season-high 17 kills and six blocks in the win, with
Austyn Mauzy adding 15 kills – with C of I hitting at a .250 clip for the night.
A tight match throughout, the two teams played to 15 ties and seven lead changes in the opening period – with C of I taking a 24-23 lead on a Neuman kill. The Geoducks (5-7, 5-6) got kills from Tayler Parks and Lily Stewart to earn set point, but a Neuman spike, a TESC hitting error and a Mauzy kill handed the hosts the win.
Evergreen was efficient in Set 2, hitting at a .375 percentage – taking a 24-20 lead on a Stewart ace. C of I cut the margin to 24-23 on a
Brenna Hawkins kill, but the Geoducks closed the set out on an Amaya Carter kill to even the match.
C of I took an early 6-1 lead in Set 3, only to see the TESC roar back, as back-to-back Jaclyn Sackrider combo blocks capped a 15-5 run, as the Geoducks earned set point at 24-20. Not to be outdone,
Emily Vandenberg earned a side out for the Yotes, with Neuman and
Jade Warren combining for 3-straight blocks to tie the score. Following an Evergreen side out, Mauzy answered with consecutive kills and Hawkins smashed an overpass to the floor to complete the 7-1 run to take the set.
Set 4 went back and forth, as Neuman had two kills in an 8-2 C of I run to open the period, but Zoe Shaw and Stewart each had three kills as TESC pulled even at 12-12. Tied at 20, the Yotes scored 5-straight points to close out the match, with a
Leyah de Souza kill ending the night.
Vandenberg had eight kills and a career-high 17 digs, de Souza added 11 kills, Hawkins had eight kills on 14 swings, with Warren leading all players with seven blocks.
Sidney Frith had 32 assists,
Sydnee Steel had 24 assists and 11 digs, with
Isabelle Combs logging 19 digs and three aces in the win.
Shaw had a huge night for the Greeners, posting 22 kills and 21 digs, with Stewart finishing with 15 kills. Sierra Wolff led all players with 43 assists and Sage Burgmeier had a match-high 25 digs.
The Yotes hit the road for their next five matches – starting next Friday at Bushnell University.
