SEWARD, Neb. – Juliauna Forgach Aguilar and the rest of LC State Volleyball bounced back in a big way on Saturday with a 3-2 (25-23, 24-26, 25-23, 22-25, 18-16) victory over Hastings (Neb.). The junior outside hitter had one of the best performances of her career to help the Warriors come away with a win after a back-and-forth battle with the Broncos. The Warrior defense put in work with a staggering 113 digs which ranks sixth in the LC State record book.
"Really proud of the resiliency in this team from start to finish," Head Coach Katie Palmer said. "It was a tough match against a really tough opponent. We faced two middles that look a lot like the middles in the Cascade Conference, so this was a good test for us. Proud that our outsides combined for 40 kills."
Every Warrior stepped up in the match. Forgach Aguilar tallied a career-high 27 kills, tied for fourth most ever by a Warrior in a single match and third most in a five-set match, to lead the LC State offense against Hastings. Four Warriors had double-digit digs, led by 25 from Natany Felix Guimaraes. Karissa Lindner was a force at the net with seven block assists, and freshman Teagan Scott dealt an impressive 27 assists in her first taste of action.
The thrilling win sends LC State home with a 2-1 record against teams from one of the strongest conferences in NAIA volleyball (GPAC). The experience will be key as the Warriors head home to host the Hells Canyon Grand Invitational.
"We are excited to return home and play in front of our fans for the Hell Canyon Grand Invitational," Palmer added.
HOW IT HAPPENED
Three Hastings errors and an ace by Esther Kailiponi had the score tied 4-4 in the first set of the contest. Forgach Aguilar dropped a ball between HC defenders to keep the score knotted 5-5. Back-to-back kills by Anna Merrill and Taylor Boyce put the Warriors in front 8-7 as the back-and-forth battle continued. Hastings pulled ahead 14-9 before kills by Missy Mortensen and Hallie Seaman cut the margin to 14-11.
A block by Abby Beaton and Seaman and kills by Beaton and Forgach Aguilar made it a two-point difference at 18-16. Boyce tallied two straight kills to make it 20-19 and force a Hastings timeout, and swings by Boyce and Mortensen kept the score within a point. Scott assisted on a kill by Beaton to give LC State a set-point edge at 24-23 and the Warriors took set one by forcing a Hastings error.
LC State carried the momentum carried into the second frame with a kill by Forgach Aguilar and block by Seaman for a quick 2-0 margin. Two more kills by Forgach Aguilar grew the lead to 5-2, and swings by Beaton and Merrill made it 8-3.
Boyce continued her strong outing with a pair of kills around a solo block by Merrill to keep the Warrior lead at three, 12-9. Back-to-back points on a kills by Mortensen and Forgach Aguilar kept the momentum with LC State until Hastings rallied to take a 16-15 lead. Kills by Lindner contributed to a back-and-forth that saw the score tied four times before swings by Seaman and Forgach Aguilar aided in a three-point run for a 22-20 LC State advantage.
Hastings responded out of a timeout with three straight points to regain the lead in the second set. A kill by Forgach Aguilar tied the frame 23-23 and Seaman and Lindner made it 24-23 with a block. The Broncos pushed the set into extra points before tying the match 1-1 with a 26-24 set win.
Hastings jumped out to a 4-0 lead before Forgach Aguilar put LC on the board with a kill. Errors by HC and another big swing by Forgach Aguilar capped a four-point run to tie the set. Lindner and Forgach Aguilar slammed down kills to put the Warriors in front with a 9-6 lead before a block by Lindner and Merrill made it 10-6.
The Broncos came out of a timeout on fire with five straight points to take an 11-10 lead over the Warriors. LC answered with six points of their own including kills by Boyce and Kailiponi and ace by Katie Rainville to pull ahead 16-11. Big swings by Mortensen and Boyce kept the difference at five, 18-13, and Seaman and Forgach Aguilar added to the total to keep the slim margin at 20-18. HC surged to tie the set 21-21. Back-to-back errors by Hastings put LC one point away from a set victory, and another error by HC ended the frame 25-23 in favor of the Warriors.
The fourth set started with a 5-2 rally by Hastings before kills by Boyce got the offense going. A block and kill by Forgach Aguilar cut the difference to 11-9. Seaman teamed up with Lindner at the net for a block before tying the set 11-11 with a kill. The score sat tied five times before Hastings strung two points together to pull ahead 18-16.
The Broncos maintained their lead to take the set 25-22.
Mortensen started the deciding frame with a kill before a kill by Forgach Aguilar and block by Seaman and Lindner gave LC a 3-2 edge. Another swing by the go-to outside hitter was followed by a block by Lindner and Merrill to keep the advantage at two. Hastings pulled within one, 8-7, but an error by the Broncos pushed the margin back to two.
Another swing by Mortensen helped grow the advantage to 11-8, but the momentum moved to Hastings as the Broncos surged ahead 12-11. The set was forced into extra points where kills by Forgach Aguilar and Lindner kept the match alive for LC State. Boyce put the match to bed with a kill to send the set 18-16.
STAT RECAP
Forgach Aguilar's superb offensive night (27 kills) was followed by a career-best 13 by freshman Boyce. Scott dealt 27 assists and Kailiponi added 23. Both had 16 digs for a pair of double-doubles.
Felix Guimaraes led the back row with 25 digs and Makenzie Stout collected 17. Lindner led LC at the net with her seven block assists as part of the Warriors' 12 total blocks. Seaman had three block assists and two solos, Merrill had three block assists and a solo and Forgach Aguilar added two block assists and a solo.
In a match that was nearly identical in terms of team stats, the Warriors stood out at the net with 12 total blocks compared to seven by Hastings.
UP NEXT
LC State returns home next week to host the Hells Canyon Grand Invitational Aug. 22-23 in the P1FCU Activity Center. The Warrior will take on Pacific Union (Calif.) and Walla Walla (Wash.) on Thursday before facing former conference for Carroll (Mont.) on Friday.
Stay up to date with all things Warrior Athletics at lcwarriors.com and on social media @LCWarriors.