NAMPA, Idaho — The College of Idaho volleyball team extended its undefeated start to the 2026 season Friday, earning a pair of wins at the I-84 Classic at Northwest Nazarene University's Johnson Sports Center.
The Yotes opened the day with a 25-7, 25-19, 22-25, 25-23 victory over The Master's before rallying past Montana Western, 25-15, 25-23, 23-25, 22-25, 15-10, in the nightcap. College of Idaho improved to 6-0 on the season.
Against The Master's, the Yotes jumped out to a dominant start, hitting .417 as a team in the opening set and cruising to a 25-7 win. College of Idaho followed with a 25-19 second-set victory before The Master's extended the match with a 25-22 third-set win.
The Yotes closed out the match in the fourth set, overcoming a late push from The Master's to secure a 25-23 victory.
Keylee Wilson led College of Idaho with 12 kills, while Alexa Wheeler added 10 kills on .400 hitting. Jessica Stires finished with nine kills, and Cierra Bohrn and Cora Young each recorded eight. Setter Shaynee McWilliams tallied 37 assists and 17 digs, while Wheeler added six blocks.
College of Idaho finished the match with 52 kills and a .193 team hitting percentage, compared with 30 kills and a .064 mark for The Master's.
The Yotes faced a much tighter battle in the nightcap against Montana Western.
College of Idaho controlled the opening two sets, winning 25-15 and 25-23, but Montana Western answered by taking the third and fourth sets, 25-23 and 25-22, to force a decisive fifth set.
The Yotes took control early in the fifth, building an 8-4 advantage at the side change before closing out the match, 15-10. McWilliams helped fuel the decisive run with back-to-back aces, giving College of Idaho a 12-5 advantage.
Wheeler turned in her best offensive performance of the day against the Bulldogs, recording 16 kills on .333 hitting. Kelsy Stanger added 14 kills, while Stires contributed 12 kills. McWilliams posted 47 assists, 12 digs and two service aces, and Avery Lewis led the defensive effort with 19 digs.
College of Idaho finished with 64 kills and a .183 hitting percentage in the five-set victory. The Yotes also held an 11-5 advantage in service aces and finished with 72 digs.
The two victories extended College of Idaho's season-opening winning streak to seven matches, including an upset of No. 15 The Master's earlier in the season.
The Yotes continue action at the I-84 Classic Saturday with the finale at 6pm on Saturday evening.