VOLLEYBALL
LC State Volleyball, receiving votes in the national poll, finished its first undefeated non-conference slate since 2008 after a 2-0 weekend at the Hells Canyon Grand Invitational. The weekend was full of celebration as Juliauna Forgach Aguilar surpassed 1000 kills in her career and Ella Stosich was named the tournament’s MVP. The Warriors begin Cascade Conference play this week in the most competitive conference in the NAIA.
The Warriors (3-0) jump right into CCC action with a pair of the top teams in the conference. LC State takes on No. 6 Southern Oregon (3-4) on Friday at 6 p.m. and Oregon Tech (6-1), receiving votes in the national poll, on Saturday at 4 p.m. Pepsi is the sponsor of Saturday’s match.
LC State is 1-12 against SOU since 2011 and has not defeated the Raiders since 2022. Last time the two met in Lewiston, SOU took the contest in four sets despite 19 kills by Forgach Aguilar and 14 by Taylor Boyce. Esther Kailiponi had 25 assists in the match and the Warriors outhit Southern Oregon .216 compared to .211.
The Warriors are 6-8 against OIT since 2018 and split with the Owls during the 2024 regular season. OIT spoiled LC State’s first home postseason match in the CCC with a four-set win over the Warriors in the conference tournament. Forgach Aguilar had 25 kills in the postseason contest and 22 in the home victory in the regular season. Hannah Dotson served four aces in the four-set win and Kailiponi had 29 assists.
OIT’s Alexa Gugliotta is second in the conference in attack percentage so far at .382 and Abigail Sorensen is third in digs per set (4.60). Lucy Boyd leads the CCC in assists per set at 9.96.
The Warriors are currently second in the conference in kills per set at 15.00 and points per set at 19.10. Defensively, LC State is second in digs per set (16.00). Forgach Aguilar leads the CCC’s individual ranks in kills per set with 6.20 and Stosich leads in digs per set (4.70). Makenzie Stout is the Cascade leader in service aces per frame at .60 and Teagan Scott is second in assists per set with 8.67.
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