#8 Yotes Defeat Wolves
Paul Starkebaum, Sports Information Director
College Place, Wash. – Cascade Conference play continued tonight for Walla Walla as they hosted the #8 College of Idaho Coyotes. The Wolves were not able to keep up with the Yotes high-powered attack as Idaho took the match in straight sets.
The Numbers
- Caldora Blackburn had 7 kills to lead the Wolves
- Miah Perez lead all players with 12 kills
- Nilah Mata'afa had 14 digs to lead the Wolves
- Drew Dobney had 25 assists for the College of Idaho
How it Happened
After splitting the opening points, the Yotes established their presence at the net through their block in the middle. The Yotes jumped out to an early 7-3 lead that Lauren Barlow broke up with a kill on the left side. Idaho's Ashley Pagan hit a ball hard down the left sideline to put the Yotes up 9-4. That point was right in the middle of an 11-3 run for Idaho that broke open the set. Ashley Pagan played well throughout the first set and it was fitting that she had the final kill as the Yotes took it 25-12.
Caldora Blackburn slammed a put back over the net for the opening point of the second set to put Walla Walla up 1-0. Chloe Lampman of Idaho answered right back with a kill of her own on the left side and the battle was on. Scoring went back and forth as both teams scrapped for points and a Sarah Halversen kill put the Wolves within a point. Miah Perez of Idaho sent a kill up the middle to answer back for Idaho. The Yotes built up their lead through the middle of the set through consistent and relentless play at the net. Having pulled away from the Wolves, a kill up the middle from Alaina Slater gave Idaho the second set 25-15.
An ace from Lauren Bosler put Walla Walla up to start the third set. Scoring went back and forth but the Yotes appeared to be on the verge of breaking open the match before back-to-back kills for Caldora Blackburn put Walla Walla up 8-7. The Yotes came right back and a Mali Sawyer kill up the middle put Idaho up 10-8. The Wolves played their best volleyball of the night in the third set but each time they tried to come back Idaho's Miah Perez had the answer. Down 21-14 Caldora Blackburn sent her seventh kill of the night down hard at the Idaho back row as the Wolves tried for their final push of the night. Idaho remained unfazed and Miah Perez ended the match with a kill on the right side to give Idaho a 25-17 win over the Wolves as the College of Idaho won the match 3-0.
Up Next
Walla Walla hosts Oregon Tech Thursday night, October 5, at 8:30 p.m.