CALDWELL, Idaho – Despite 20 kills and eight blocks on the day from
Cameron Wallace, the College of Idaho ran into a serving machine from Bushnell University, as the Beacons took two matches from the Yotes in the J.A. Albertson Activities Center.
The Beacons (8-2, 4-2 CCC) combined for 21 aces in the two matches – rallying to take the morning match in five sets, while sweeping C of I in the afternoon encounter.
The matches were a part of the second weekend of Cascade Conference pod play – as all league games so far this season have been played either in Caldwell (C of I) or in Lewiston (Lewis-Clark State).
MATCH 1 – BUSHNELL 3, C OF I 2 (24-26, 25-23, 14-25, 25-17, 15-12)
The Coyotes (2-5, 2-4) had three players reach double-digit kills and limited BU to a .093 hitting percentage, but could not close out the Beacons. The visitors broke a 9-9 tie in the deciding set with a pair of kills from Cambria Langenfelder and Camille Guerrero – after C of I had used a 7-1 run to get back into the frame.
Set 1 was full of runs – as the Yotes bolted to a 12-6 lead on the strength of a pair of
Danielle Neuman blocks, only to see Bushnell record three aces in a 7-1 push late in the set to take a 21-20 lead. BU led 24-22, but C of I staved off two set points and kills from
Emily Vandenberg and
Brianna Barta gave the hosts the win.
Set 2 featured 15 ties, the last at 21-21, before Payton Jones keyed a Bushnell rally with a spike to even up the match.
The middle sets were dominated by each team – C of I using an 8-2 run in Set 3 to take a 17-9 lead and rolled to the win, while the Beacons just out to a 9-3 lead in Set 4 and were never headed.
Wallace had 14 kills and four blocks, Neuman had 11 kills and seven blocks, with
Chloe Knudson posting 10 kills and 17 digs for the Yotes. Langenfelder led all players with 17 kills, with Makenna Northern posting 42 assists and 12 digs, with the duo each recording three aces.
MATCH 2 – BUSHNELL 3, C OF I 0 (25-21, 25-15, 25-22)
The Beacons grabbed leads in all three sets, forcing the Yotes to play catch-up throughout.
BU got a trio of aces in a 20-11 run in Set 1 and held off a late C of I rally, while in Set 2, the Beacons held the hosts to a negative attack percentage in cruising to the win. Set 3, C of I fell behind 7-2, but cut the margin to one point on six occasions, the last at 22-21, but could never get even.
Wallace had six kills and four blocks and
Kylie Crossland had five kills in the loss for the Yotes, with
Margie Beeler posted 14 assists and three aces.
Claire Salness led all players with 11 kills, Langenfelder had nine kills and 10 digs and Natalie Martin had six kills and eight blocks in the win for BU.
Tomorrow, C of I will meet Warner Pacific at 9 a.m. and 1 p.m.; with Bushnell playing Eastern Oregon at 11 a.m. and 3 p.m.
