Lady Yotes Stop Midland, Advance to NAIA Quarterfinals
SIOUX CITY, Iowa –
Ashley Pagan had four of her team-high 18 kills in the decisive fifth set, leading the College of Idaho to a 21-25, 25-17, 25-22, 22-25, 15-11 victory over No. 11 Midland (Neb.) in the first-round of the NAIA Volleyball National Championships in Tyson Events Center.
The Lady Yotes (28-6) advance to the national quarterfinals for the first time since 2011, meeting Missouri Baptist this evening at 5:45 p.m. (CT).
Today's win over Midland avenged a three-set loss to the Warriors (21-11) in the first round bracket play at the 2015 NAIA Championships.
Pagan opened the final set with three-straight kills, followed by a
Taylor Alexander spike forcing MC to call a time out. The Warriors used a pair of Priscilla O'Dowd kills to cut the margin to 6-4, but C of I answered with a
Jackie van Vliet kill, a
Marija Djonovic kill and back to back blocks to extend the margin to an insurmountable 10-4 lead. The Warriors closed within 14-11, before an
Alaina Slater kill ended the match.
Defense was the story for C of I, recording 107 total digs and nine blocks.
Kilee Lopez had 41 digs, tying
Whitney Brigham's school record from the 2009 championships, with van Vliet recording six blocks.
The Yotes opened the match on a 5-1 run, only to see the Warriors ride four Taylor Peterson kills in an 11-3 surge that turned the tide and gave MC the early set. C of I evened the match with a dominant Set 2, jumping out to a 13-4 lead and cruised.
A 7-2 run midway through Set 3 built the Yotes a 17-10 lead, with C of I withstanding a late run by the Warriors, before two Alexander kills helped the Purple and Gold earn the period win. MC forced the clinching set by claiming a tight Set 4 that featured seven ties – the last at 15-15 – as O'Dowd rocketed three spikes in a 7-2 surge that evened the match.
Alexander had 14 kills and 10 digs, while Slater and van Vliet each had 12 kills in the win for C of I. Djonovic had 51 assists, 14 digs and four blocks, with
Brenna Meehan logging five kills and 16 digs.
O'Dowd led the Warriors with 21 kills and 12 digs, with setter Jessica Peters logging 55 assists and 16 digs. Both teams finished with 62 kills and nine blocks – but C of I held a slim 6-3 edge in aces.