LEWISTON, Idaho – Lewis-Clark State's volleyball team is home for the final weekend of the regular season with two matches that loom large – in more ways than one.
 
For one, conference standings heading into the Frontier Conference's post-season tournament will be determined with the Warriors first taking on Montana State-Northern Thursday evening at 7 and then playing host to the University of Providence (formerly Great Falls) Saturday at 2 p.m. Both matches are at the LC Activity Center.
 
And, for four Warriors, it will be their final weekend at the Activity Center. Four-year players Natalie Batiste, Aly Sauer and Maya Williamson as well as two-year transfer Justine Cota Culp will celebrate Senior Day with friends and family before Saturday's match.
 
"It's going to be a battle because we're fighting for that spot," said coach LaToya Harris-Alexander, whose team has won its last two matches and takes an 8-13 overall record (3-7 conference) into the weekend.
 
Montana Northern also is 3-7 in the league and lost to the Warriors at Havre earlier this season. Providence, which plays Montana Tech Thursday before Saturday's finale, is 5-5 in league play and had a 3-1 victory over LCSC last month.
 
"Those two matches are crucial," Harris-Alexander said. "They have an enormous amount of meaning."
 
So, too, does senior day. With the exception of Cota Culp, Harris-Alexander has known the senior class since she started following their careers when they were in high school. She had this to say about each senior:
 
Batiste (Portland, Ore.): "I've known her since she was a freshman in high school. As our team captain, she has really blossomed. She's one of the most selfless people I know."
 
Sauer (Hagerman, Idaho): "She's extremely powerful. But she's more. She keeps me afloat. She helps me with everything around the gym. She's a true champion of character."
 
Williamson (Auburn, Wash.): "I've known her since her sophomore year in high school. She's truly family. She's the toughest player I've coached and a fighter."
 
Cota Culp (Yreka, Calif.): "She excelled this year. She's become a leader. I'm very proud of how she's grown and matured. She's had a great impact on this team."