LEWISTON, Idaho – The 2024 Hells Canyon Grand Invitational concluded on Friday with a tight five-set battle between former Frontier Conference rivals LC State and Carroll College (Mont.). In the first meeting between the two volleyball teams since 2019, the Fighting Saints of Carroll took the contest 3-2 (25-20, 26-28, 25-15, 20-25, 15-7).
“I knew that having Carroll on our schedule meant that we would face a high volleyball IQ program,” Head Coach Katie Palmer said. “Coach Boyle does a great job preparing her team. We needed to learn their hitters faster and make adjustments defensively again. With that being said, Natany’s 33 digs were well-earned. We will get back in the gym on Monday to continue working toward a more diverse offense.”
Juliauna Forgach Aguilar performed at a high level with 26 kills to lead the match. The mark is tied for seventh all-time in a single match at LC State and is one off her career-high. Natany Felix Guimaraes led the contest with 33 digs, a career-high, which is tied for 10th-most in a single match by a Warrior. Both earned Hells Canyon Grand Invitational All-Tournament honors.
HOW IT HAPPENED
Carroll came out hot with a quick 4-1 lead in the opening set. Kills by Forgach Aguilar, Missy Mortensen and Anna Merrill cut the difference to one, 6-5, and a swing by Taylor Boyce tied the frame 8-8. The two teams traded points until a short rally had the Saints up 18-15. Despite three kills by Forgach Aguilar near the end of the set, Carroll took the opening set 25-20.
LC State battled back in the second. The Warriors scored their first four points of the set with kills by Forgach Aguilar to jump ahead 4-2. After a back-and-forth that saw the score tied six times, Carroll surged to pull in front 15-13. An ace by Abbey Neff knotted the score 16-16 and another from Makenzie Stout made it 18-18. A swing by Forgach Aguilar and ace by Esther Kailiponi gave LC a 22-20 edge. But the Saints answered with a rally for a 26-25 lead over the Warriors. Back-to-back kills by Hallie Seaman and Forgach Aguilar gave LC a 28-26 margin to take the set.
The Fighting Saints regained control with a dominant third set. A kill by Mortensen got the frame started, but Carroll quickly jumped in front 12-7. Kills by Forgach Aguilar and Abby Beaton, along with an ace by Ella Stosich, had the deficit at 13-11, but another Saints surge propelled Carroll to a 22-12 advantage and 25-15 set win.
LC State turned the tables in the fourth frame with a 6-2 opening run. Forgach Aguilar tallied two kills in the span and assisted on a block with Karissa Lindner and before an ace by Kailiponi. The lead changed hands throughout the middle of the set before two kills by Mortensen and one by Taylin Rowley had LC State ahead 17-15.
The Warriors closed out the fourth set with a 6-1 run. Seaman and Forgach Aguilar had kills in the span and Kailiponi dealt an ace for the 25-20 set victory.
Carroll found its footing in the deciding set. The Warriors stayed within one, 4-3, with three kills by Forgach Aguilar, but the Fighting Saints took a commanding 13-5 lead ahead of the 15-7 final.
STAT RECAP
Forgach Aguilar led the match with 26 kills at a .220 attack percentage. Mortensen added seven kills (.235). Kailiponi dealt 16 assists and three service aces.
Felix Guimaraes led the match with her career-high 33 digs, Stout added 18 and Gianna Anderson collected a career-best 17. Mortensen assisted on four blocks to lead LC State at the net.
The Warriors won the battle at the net with seven total blocks against Carroll’s five, and dealt six aces compared to four by the Saints.
UP NEXT
The Warriors dive into Cascade Conference action next week, starting with a rematch with Walla Walla (Wash.) on Aug. 29 in College Place, Wash. LC State will play five matches on the road before returning home to host Oregon Tech and No. 10 Southern Oregon Sept. 20-21 in the P1FCU Activity Center.
