Ciciley Fox had 16 kills in win over Northwest
CALDWELL, Idaho - Ciciley Fox and Kylee Nawahine each recorded 16 kills, as The College of Idaho opened the 2011 home schedule with an intense 25-21, 29-27, 25-23 victory over Northwest University, before a raucous crowd inside the J.A. Albertson Activities Center.
The win for the No. 10 ranked Lady Yotes (4-1, 1-0 CCC) was their 31st-straight home win and their 54th-straight Cascade Conference victory – dating back to the 2005 season.
It wasn’t easy, as the Eagles (2-4, 0-1 CCC) held leads throughout each of the three sets – but the nationally-ranked squad was able to rally.
Set 1 saw NU grab a 14-11 lead on a Molly Boyle ace, but a pair of Nawahine kills helped the Yotes draw even at 15-15. After side-outs pushed the score to 21-21, The C of I scored the final four points of the frame, the last on a Nawahine spike to take the 1-0 match edge.
The Eagles had the run of play in the second set, taking the lead at 4-3 on a tandem block by Breanna Covey and Sarah Stoker, extending the margin to 22-19 on an Anu Akamine kill. The Yotes would respond defensively, as solo block by Nawahine, a Akamine hitting error, and a Nawahine/Torrey Hulsey block tied the score. NU fought off a trio of set points before Fox slammed a pair of kills down to end the marathon.
NU led early 10-6 in Set 3 and led 16-13 after a Yote hitting error, but two Nawahine kills in a decisive 8-1 push by The C of I, extending the lead to 24-19 on a Danielle Montalbo kill. The Eagles wouldn’t quit, rattling off four straight points before a Hulsey kill ended the night.
Setter Kelsey Soos recorded a double-double with 50 assists and 10 digs, with Hulsey and Montalbo each notching nine kills. Whitney Brigham (formerly Owen) led all players with 20 digs.
Boyle led NU with nine kills, with Stoker adding eight kills and four blocks. Lauryn Ernster had 26 assists, with Akamine recording 19 digs for the Eagles.
The C of I returns to action tomorrow night, hosting Evergreen State at 7 p.m.