LEWISTON, Idaho – It was a rollercoaster day for the Lewis-Clark State College volleyball team as they faced Olivet Nazarene University twice on the second day of the Red Lion Classic, losing both matches to fall to 2-2 in 2016.
 
The Warriors went four sets in match number one before dropping a five set thriller in the championship match on Saturday night. Untimely miscues and unforced errors were the undoing of the home team.
 
"I'd say it was a rollercoaster," said Harris-Alexander on her team's play on Saturday. "There were great moments. In the 10 o'clock match, I wondered if our team was even awake and we played out of character; Olivet is a good team and took advantage. In the second match we came out strong, executed what we wanted to do defensively and stuck to our plan, but up 2-0, we relaxed too much and Olivet is the type of team, if you open the door they'll get in and close it and that's what they did."
 
The Warriors and Tigers opened day two of competition and ONU came out ready to play, racing out to a 17-9 lead. LCSC was able to put together a few runs, but the deficit was too large to overcome in the 25-21 loss. Several three and four-point runs by the visitors in the second set propelled them to a 25-16 win and a 2-0 match lead.
 
The Warriors responded in a big way in the third game. Maya Williamson got things started with a kill and a pair of Rachel Gregg aces put LC ahead early. Another three-point run, buoyed by a pair of Kennadie Clute kills, pushed the lead to five, 7-2. The Warriors limited Olivet's runs to force a fourth set with a 25-21 win.
 
The Tigers were too much in the deciding game hitting .378 in the set with 16 kills to just 14 kills and a .256 attack percentage for the Warriors. The difference in the match came in unforced errors as Lewis-Clark State committed 11 service errors and 20 attack errors while ONU had just three service miscues and 13 attack errors.
 
Stephanie Ovitz had a team-high .429 hitting percentage with nine kills while Clute had a team-high 18 kills to go with 12 digs. Natalie Batiste added 16 digs with Amber Hillstead totaling 27 assists. Gregg finished with three block assists to lead the defense.
 
It was a much different Warrior squad in the championship contest as LCSC outhit Olivet .217 to .135 with 67 kills, but the Tigers tallied 10 service aces and LCSC committed 11 service errors, many coming late in sets to decide the match.
 
In the opening game, the teams traded points until an Ovitz kill broke a 15-15 tie and sparked a four-point run. After trading side-outs, LCSC closed the match with five straight points, four coming via the Ovitz service.
 
In set two, the teams again played even early, but four separate two-point rallies followed by a four-point run helped the Warriors break the game open and Hillstead fed Ovitz for the set winner, 25-20.
 
Down 2-0, the Tigers continued to battle and hung with the Warriors for much of the third set, but down 21-19, the Warriors scored five of the next six points to take a 24-22 lead on a Clute kill. Unfortunately, LCSC couldn't convert on their three match-point tries, opening the door for the Tigers in a 27-25 loss.
 
The squads traded long rallies in the fourth game with ONU jumping ahead 8-4 before LCSC answered with six straight points to take the lead. Olivet responded with seven of the next nine tallies only to see LCSC score eight of nine points for a 20-16 margin. The Tigers came roaring back and forced a fifth set, scoring the final nine points including three aces.
 
The Warriors seemed poised to come back and capture their second five-set win in as many days, using a three-point run to take a 10-7 advantage. A five point ONU run put the visitors back in front, but LC drew even at 14. A Clute kill gave the Warriors another match point, but a Tiger kill and block gave ONU a match point at 16-15. Ovitz delivered a kill to tie the score, but an LC service error followed by an ONU block ended the LC comeback with an 18-16 loss.
 
"When the pressure comes we tend to make mistakes at the wrong times," said Harris-Alexander on the loss. "We need to learn how to take care of the ball in crucial situations and win the long rallies. The errors are the difference between a good team and a great team. We are a little disappointed in the outcome but we'll make the adjustments and be better."
 
Gregg delivered in a big way, leading the team with a .297 attack percentage and 17 kills while Clute added 16 and Katie Barton tallied 12 kills. Clute also tallied a match high 25 digs as five different Warriors totaled double-digit digs. LCSC also tallied 11 total blocks led by Ovitz who had one solo block and five block assists.
 
For their efforts, Clute and Ovitz each earned All-Tournament team accolades.
 
The Warriors hit the road for the first time in 2016 as they travel to Fullerton, Calif. to compete in the Hope International University Labor Day Tournament Sept. 2-3. LCSC opens play on Friday, Sept. 2 at 12 PM against The Master's College before facing No. 19 Biola at 4 p.m.