LEWISTON, Idaho – Warrior Volleyball opened the Hells Canyon Grand Invitational with a pair of victories on Thursday. LC State started the day with a 3-0 sweep (25-11, 25-21, 25-18) of Pacific Union College (Calif.) before battling with Walla Walla University (Wash.) through four sets for a 3-1 win (25-21, 26-28, 25-17, 25-23). The wins move LC State to 4-1 overall and 1-0 in Cascade Conference play.
"Today was another big step forward for the program," Head Coach Katie Palmer said. "We were able to get some younger players experience in our morning match. I loved seeing
Kate Schneider on the floor and doing some really nice things offensively. All three setters are creating diversity in our offense."
The Warriors held their opponents to a .056 attack percentage on the day and put up 15 blocks. LC State dealt 13 aces compared to seven by PUC and WWU combined.
Ella Stosich (4) and
Esther Kailiponi (3) combined for seven of the team's aces and
Missy Mortensen put up six blocks.
"In our evening match, our veterans were tested by a very good Walla Walla team," Palmer said. "We need to be cleaner defensively overall, but we had some standout performances in Hallie's offense, Makenzie's serve receive and Esther's serve. Overall, the Warriors got better today and that is what we are looking for every day."
MATCH ONE: LC State def. Pacific Union 3-0 (25-11, 25-21, 25-18)
LC State got out to a fast start against PUC with a 13-2 run.
Juliauna Forgach Aguilar had six kills in the span and Stosich dealt a pair of aces. The Warriors scored the final six points in the frame to close out the set quickly.
Hallie Seaman struck for two kills in the run and assisted on a block with
Katie Rainville.
Pacific Union found its footing in the second frame with a 7-2 advantage. The Warriors rattled off seven points in a row to regain control with swings by
Taylor Boyce, Forgach Aguilar and Seaman. The stretch had LC ahead 16-14 before a rally by PUC had the Warriors behind 18-17.
LC State launched a 7-1 scoring run, fueled by kills by Forgach Aguilar and Boyce and blocks by
Abby Beaton,
Kate Schneider and Boyce, to make it 24-18 in favor of the Warriors. Mortensen put LC up 2-0 with a kill on an assist from
Abbey Neff.
The third frame was back-and-forth until LC State blew the set open with an eight-point run to pull ahead 15-6. After kills by Kailiponi and Schneider, PUC rallied to pull within four, 20-16, but a kill by Beaton and ace by
Gianna Anderson gave the Warriors back their momentum. A kill by Seaman ended the match with a 25-18 set win.
Forgach Aguilar led the match with 17 kills on a .400 attack percentage and
Teagan Scott dealt 19 assists.
Natany Felix Guimaraes anchored the defense with 17 digs and
Makenzie Stout had 10.
MATCH TWO: LC State def. Walla Walla 3-1 (25-21, 26-28, 25-17, 25-23)
The Warriors faced one of the most talented Walla Walla teams in recent years in their first Cascade Conference match of the season. The Wolves came ready to play and took a 14-8 lead in the first set. A 12-2 run held LC State separate from the pack.
A swing by Forgach Aguilar sparked a rally that saw kills by Boyce and
Anna Merrill, as well as an ace by Kailiponi and block by Beaton, to take a 20-16 lead. The Wolves climbed back to within one, 20-19, but a run of four on kills by Boyce and Mortensen and blocks by Mortensen, Merrill and Boyce pushed the advantage to 24-19. After two points by WWU, Mortensen denied the Wolves at the net to end the set 25-21.
Walla Walla outlasted the Warriors in set two after a back-and-forth sent the frame into extra points. WWU hitters evaded the LC State defense and timely blocks kept the Warrior offense at bay to tie the match 1-1.
The momentum stayed with the Wolves at WWU took an 8-7 lead in the third frame. A kill by Merrill and block by Mortensen and Seaman put LC back in front for the remainder of the set.
LC State widened the margin to 18-12 with kills by Forgach Aguilar, Seaman and Merrill before three straight points in a kill by Boyce, ace by
Hannah Dotson and block by Mortensen and Merrill made it 21-13. The Warriors took the set 25-17.
Walla Walla surged out to a 4-0 advantage to open the fourth set before growing the margin to 9-2. Kills by Forgach Aguilar, an ace by Stosich and block by Seaman and Beaton brought LC within one, 10-9, and a solo block by Merrill tied things up 11-11.
The Warriors jumped in front 19-18 with an ace by Kailiponi and used two kills from Boyce and one from Mortensen to give LC a match-point advantage at 24-21. Walla Walla pushed the Warriors to the edge before a kill by Seaman ended the match.
Forgach Aguilar led LC State with 14 kills in the match and Boyce added 13. Scott dished out 21 assists and Kailiponi had 19 with three service aces. Mortensen put up six blocks in the contest and Felix Guimaraes led the back row with 12 digs.
Walla Walla's Natalia Jimenez and Sahara Browning led the match with 15 kills each and Danielle Faamausili had 21 assists. Lauren Moody collected 14 digs.
UP NEXT
The Warriors close out the Hells Canyon Grand Invitational on Friday at 5 p.m. against Frontier Conference opponent Carroll College (Mont.).
Stay up to date with all things Warrior Athletics at lcwarriors.com and on social media @LCWarriors.
