SIOUX CITY, Iowa - College of Idaho's season came to a close Thursday afternoon, falling 3-1 to No. 11 seed Mount Vernon Nazarene in pool play at the NAIA Volleyball National Championship. The Yotes (19-12) nearly forced a decisive fifth set, rallying late in the fourth before the Cougars held on for a 25-14, 25-16, 18-25, 29-27 win at the Tyson Events Center.
Abigail Flerchinger led the Yotes with 10 kills and four blocks, while Mia Hutchinson added 12 kills and 14 digs. Cierra Bohrn delivered eight kills and two blocks, helping fuel College of Idaho's third-set surge as the Yotes hit .312 in the frame to stay alive.
Mount Vernon Nazarene (27-8) was paced by Evelyn Brown's 15 kills on .536 hitting, with Libby Evanshine adding 14 kills. Setter Reagan Nuss steered the Cougars' attack with 37 assists and two aces.
After dropping the opening two sets, the Yotes responded with their strongest stretch of the match in the third and carried that momentum into a back-and-forth fourth set featuring 13 ties. College of Idaho held leads at 24-23, 25-24 and 27-26, but MVNU closed out the match with three straight points, including the final kill by Evanshine.
The loss eliminates the Yotes from bracket play and concludes their 2025 campaign at 19-12.
