Cotie Howard served 20 consecutive points in set two on Monday night.
EUGENE, Ore. – The Northwest Christian University women’s volleyball team set records for least points against in a set and consecutive points in a 25-3 second set on Monday night as they cruised to a 3-0 victory over Multnomah University (25-21, 25-3, 25-13).
Leading 5-3 early in the second set, a kill by Brooke Stribling put the ball into the hands of Cotie Howard for service. The senior middle blocker proceeded to serve 20 consecutive points to close out the set. The Beacons held Multnomah to just three points, all on hitting errors by the Beacons as the Lions failed to register a single kill in the set. The three points was the lowest single-set point total for an opponent in two years, since Cascade scored 8 points on October 11, 2006. The 20 consecutive points also sets a new school record.
After the match Head Coach Mike Gaffaney praised Howard for her efforts during the extended rally, in which the two-sport star recorded five service aces. “Cotie came in with a sore shoulder tonight after doing some work with the softball team on Sunday and she said the one thing that was bothering her was serving. Obviously, she was able to put that aside tonight.”
The Beacons (9-12) had solid efforts all around; NCU hit .273 as a team, held a 59-39 dig advantage, a 13-1 service ace advantage, and a 5-1 block advantage. Stribling finished the night with a double-double scoring a match-high 14 kills along with ten digs, three aces and two blocks. Howard finished with eight kills, hitting .467, adding 14 digs, five aces and three blocks, all match-highs. Whitney Hoff recorded 23 assists for NCU adding eleven digs.
“After two tough matches on Friday and Saturday,” said Gaffaney, “this is the kind of match we wanted to have turning around quickly for a Monday match. This match gave us a chance to improve our rotation in the 6-2 offense, and get some more experience with serve receive.”
NCU will be back in action on Friday night as they continue a season-long home stand against Warner Pacific. The first serve is scheduled for 7:00 pm. The Knights come in at 5-9, 3-9 in the Cascade Collegiate Conference, and just one match up on the Beacons in the standings.