MOSCOW, Idaho – Idaho came up short against Northern Colorado on Sunday evening in Memorial Gym. The Vandals took the first set 25-19 before falling in the next two, 25-21. Idaho fought in the fourth but fell just short 29-27.
Kennedy Warren led the Vandals with 13 kills, hitting .273.
Alaina Lacey had a team-high 19 digs and a career-high six service aces.
Allison Munday and
Bea Whitling each had five block assists. Munday totaled two solo blocks as well.
Northern Colorado got out to a hot start, beginning with a 4-0 lead. Down 8-5, a 6-0 run saw the Vandals take an 11-8 lead.
Avery Housley and
Kennedy Warren combined for four kills during the run. Idaho continued to build on the advantage, leading by as many as eight, 23-15. The Bears cut into the lead down the stretch, but back-to-back service errors gave Idaho a 25-19 win in the set.
Idaho took a narrow lead, 6-5, early in the second set following a Northern Colorado attack error. Down 12-10, the Vandals used a 2-0 run to tie the score at 12-12, capped with an
Allison Munday kill.
Alaina Lacey then recorded back-to-back service aces, giving the Vandals a 14-12 lead. Northern Colorado regained control of the set 18-15, but the Vandals fought back to tie at 21-21 after a Bears attack error. The visitors would score the next four, winning the set 25-21.
Northern Colorado jumped out to an 8-3 lead to begin the third set. After the Bears took a 16-12 lead Idaho scored four in a row to tie. The 4-0 run included another ace for Lacey. The Bears built a 19-16 lead and held off a late set come back as the Vandals fell 25-21.
Kennedy Warren's service ace gave Idaho a 6-5 lead to begin the fourth set. The Bears took an 8-7 lead before Idaho used a 4-0 run, capped with a
Delaney Nicoll kill, to lead 10-8. Northern Colorado jumped out to a 17-13 lead, but the Vandals didn't go away quietly. Idaho scored three in a row to cut the lead to one, 17-16. A kill from Housley gave Idaho a 19-18 advantage. Down the stretch the Bears held a slim 23-22 lead but back-to-back kills from Munday and Nicoll gave Idaho set point. The visitors evened the score, but Warren gave the Vandals another set point, 25-24. Back-to-back points from the Bears put Idaho behind 26-24. The two sides traded points before Northern Colorado found back-to-back points once again as the Vandals fell 29-27 in the set and 3-1 in the match.
Idaho recorded a season-high nine service aces in the match while the Bears totaled just five.
Northern Colorado narrowly held the advantage in blocks, 11-10.
The Vandals will take on the Bears in game two tomorrow at 6 p.m. Seniors
Avery Housley and Donnee Janzen will be honored as part of Senior Night.
THE QUOTES
