LEWISTON, Idaho – The LC State Homecoming crowd had a lot to cheer about on Friday when Warrior Volleyball swept Evergreen State College to cap the week of celebration. Senior setter Abbey Neff dealt the 2,000th assist of her collegiate career in a match that was all Warriors from the start.
LC State hit .347 as a team, its best mark of the season, and had 10 different players register a kill.
“Really proud of our offense playing clean and finding ways to score tonight,” Head Coach Katie Palmer said. “We had six players hit over .300 which is great because we have been working closely with our setters to increase the diversity in our offense. Speaking of setters, Abbey Neff surpassing 2,000 career assists is a testament to her work ethic and desire to be great. We have a tough match tomorrow. Northwest always prepares well and it’s going to be a battle.”
The victory improves the LC State record to 11-7 overall and 8-5 in Cascade Conference play. Evergreen falls to 3-13 on the season and 3-9 in conference action.
HOW IT HAPPENED
TESC scored the first point of the match, but a 6-0 run by the Warriors quickly put LC State in control. Juliauna Forgach Aguilar tallied three straight kills and Missy Mortensen capped the run with a kill. The Geoducks earned their second point of the set before LC struck for five straight. Forgach Aguilar and Mortensen combined for three kills and teamed up on a block to grow the advantage to 11-2.
Kills by Anna Merrill, Taylor Boyce and Karissa Lindner, along with an ace by Katie Rainville, made the margin 18-7. Back-to-back kills by Rainville and Boyce pushed the set to a 25-16 close.
The Warriors opened the second frame with a 6-0 run thanks to an ace by Hannah Dotson, kills by Forgach Aguilar and Hallie Seaman and solo block by Forgach Aguilar. The Geoducks cut the lead to two at 13-11 but LC State rallied with a kill by Mortensen and block by Mortensen and Forgach Aguilar to grow the cushion to 17-11.
An ace by Esther Kailiponi and block by Merrill and Mortensen fueled a four-point run at 21-12. Swings by Mortensen and Boyce moved things along and a block by the duo of Merrill and Lindner helped end the frame 25-14.
LC State kept its foot on the gas with an 11-2 run to start the third set. Seaman, Forgach Aguilar, Mortensen and Boyce combined for eight kills in the span. Setter Teagan Scott tallied a kill before joining Lindner on a block for a 10-point margin at 13-3, and a pair of kills by Lindner made it 18-6.
A kill by senior Taylin Rowley and block by Mortensen and Boyce pushed the score to set point, 24-13, and Boyce ended the match with a kill at 25-14.
STAT RECAP
Forgach Aguilar led the contest with 13 kills on a .478 attack percentage. Boyce added 11 at .474 and Mortensen hit .417 with seven kills. The Warriors hit .347 as a team for the most efficient offense of the season.
Neff dealt a match-best 12 assists and now has 600 as a Warrior. Combined with the 1,410 during her time at North Idaho College, Neff has 2,010 in her collegiate career. Kailiponi added 11 assists and Scott had 10.
Natany Felix Guimaraes collected a match-high 12 digs and Dotson had 10. Mortensen led the night at the net with five block assists.
Sophia Scroggins led TESC with eight kills and Maloree Calzadillas dished out 12 assists. Molly Packer and Calzadillas each collected nine digs.
LC State held the Geoducks to a .011 attack percentage and had 20 more kills than TESC (44-24). The Warriors tallied 55 points to best Evergreen’s 27.
UP NEXT
The Warriors wrap up the homestand on Saturday against Northwest. First serve in the P1FCU Activity Center is set for 4 p.m.