LEWISTON – The Lewis-Clark State College Volleyball team was narrowly edged by in-state rival College of Idaho on Saturday in a Senior Night spoiler. The match featured a tribute to the three seniors and a tightly contested five sets in the regular-season finale. The Yotes took the match by scores of 21-25, 23-25, 25-22, 25-16, 15-11.
The defense at the net favored the Warriors as LC State out-blocked the Yotes 12-9 with six each from Karissa Lindner and Missy Mortensen. Juliauna Forgach Aguilar led the contest with 15 kills and Kenzie Dean had a match-high 26 digs.
Prior to the match, the Warriors recognized seniors Kierstyn York, Ashlee Bachman, and Kenzie Dean.
HOW IT HAPPENED
The Warrior women jumped out to a 4-1 lead in the first set with kills by Forgach Aguilar and Mortensen. Swings by Anna Merrill and Gianna Anderson pushed the advantage to 8-4 before back-to-back kills by Anderson had the margin at 10-5. The Yotes rallied out of a timeout to pull within one, 11-10, but a kill by Lindner made it a two-point difference at 12-10.
A kill by Merrill and ace by Anderson gave the Warriors a 19-15 edge. Forgach Aguilar tallied a kill before teaming up with Mortensen on a block to move the score to 21-18. A kill each from Mortensen and Lindner helped close out the set 25-21.
A block by Mortensen and Forgach Aguilar helped LC State to a 3-2 lead in the second set. C of I rallied to pull ahead 12-6 before the Warriors responded with an 8-1 run. A kill by Hallie Seaman started the rally that was fueled by kills from Anderson and Lindner, a block by York and Lindner as well as an ace by Anderson to put LC in front 14-13.
A back-and-forth ensued until C of I pulled ahead 23-21. The Warriors rattled off four straight points that included a kill by Anderson and blocks by Lindner, Forgach Aguilar and York to end the set 25-23.
The Yotes turned the tables in the third set and jumped out to a 4-1 lead. Three straight C of I errors gave the Warriors a 7-6 advantage, and a kill by Forgach Aguilar and block by Mortensen and Merril capped a four-point run that had the Warriors up 14-10.
C of I took the lead at 18-17 and did not trail for the rest of the set. The Yotes carried the momentum into the fourth with a 25-16 win to force a fifth frame.
A block by Mortensen and Merrill and kill by Forgach Aguilar helped LC State to a 3-0 lead to open the deciding set, but the Yotes answered to jump ahead 5-4. A block by Merrill and Lindner tied things up 5-5, and swings by Lindner and Seaman kept things knotted 8-8, but C of I gained momentum to take the set 15-11.
Forgach Aguilar led the match with 15 kills and assisted on four blocks. Anderson tallied 12 kills and Mortensen had seven to got with her six block assists. Lindner put up five block assists and one solo and Merrill assisted on four.
In her last match in the P1FCU Activity Center, Dean collected 26 digs. Freshman Makenzie Stout had a career-high 20. Esther Kailiponi tallied 18 assists and Sofie Langer had 13.
Janae Rayborn led the Yotes with 14 kills and Alexa Wheeler added 13. Analise Hitchcock, the CCC leader in assists per set, dealt 41 assists and Clair Hodge had 24 digs.
UP NEXT
The Warriors earned the No. 8 seed in the Cascade Conference Tournament, presented by U.S. Bank, and will open play at fifth-seeded Northwest on Tuesday. First serve in Kirkland is set for 7 p.m.
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