After a 2-4 start to the season, the Vandals looked to improve in the North Dakota tournament with a win over the 4-1 North Dakota State University Bison, a team who started on a 4-match win streak before losing to Big Sky Conference team Montana in straight sets. A win over this Bison team could be huge for the Vandals, but unfortunately for the Vandals, it wasn’t meant to be as the Idaho Vandals lost 3-1 against the Bison.
NDSU
In the first set, the Vandals started with a solid three-point lead and were able to hold this lead for the majority of the first half of the set. However, after a commanding 10-3 run by the Bison, North Dakota State took the lead by three, 14-11, and although Idaho traded points and rallied, even tying the set 21-21, the Vandals were unable to take back the lead for the set as the Bison won the set 25-22. Kiana Greer led the Vandals in kills in this set with four.
The second set started very close, being 7-6 in favor of the Vandals after the first couple of points. This was before the Vandals extended the lead to five points and maintained this lead throughout the whole set despite the Bison rallying The Vandals would take the set comfortably 25-20 for their only set win of the day. Cayton White led the Vandals in kills for the set with four, and Greer trailed her with three kills of her own.
In the third set, the Vandals started very strong, grabbing up to a five point lead at 13-8, and they continued to dominate later down the set as Idaho extended the lead to six points, including a run of back-to-back kills from Sarah Sullivan, to lead the set 19-13.
This was Idaho’s biggest lead of the set as the Bison came back and went on a 10-4 run to tie the set 23-23. Despite White forcing a set point with a kill at 24-23, the Bison scored three consecutive points to win the set 26-24. Sullivan led the Vandals this set in kills with five, whilst White trailed her with four of her own.
In the fourth set, the Vandals looked to force a fifth decisive set, but it wouldn’t be the case as the Bison stormed out to a 7-1 lead and controlled this set from start to end, including their biggest lead of the set being 21-9.
The Vandals tried to rally, but it was far too late, as the Bison won 25-14. The main difference in the set was the Bison were significantly better in their service game, getting 13 aces to Idaho’s two. Two Vandals would get double-doubles in this match, with White getting 11 kills and 11 digs, and Aleina Manaois getting 36 assists and 12 digs.
UTSA
The second match of the tournament would be against the University of Texas, San Antonio Roadrunners, who were 3-4 prior to the match, including a win the day before against the University of North Dakota Fighting Hawks. The Vandals, despite a hard-fought battle, dropped the match to the Roadrunners 3-1.
The first set started off tight as the Vandals held the lead 7-6 before a six-point swing in favor of UTSA to give the Roadrunners a 12-7 lead. UTSA would hold this lead throughout the rest of the set. Despite the Vandals closing the gap to 20-18, the Roadrunners grabbed four straight points and then capped off the set with a victory 25-19. Both Greer and White led the Vandals in kills in this set with three each.
The second set started strongly for Idaho with a 13-8 lead. This was, however, the Vandals’ biggest lead of the set as the Roadrunner went on a massive 9-1 run to take a 17-14 UTSA lead. Idaho was unable to recover from this UTSA push for the rest of the set, as the Roadrunners won this set comfortably 25-18.
Looking to avoid a sweep, the Vandals started the third set rocky, down 7-4. The Vandals were able to rally back to tie multiple times, but UTSA continued to maintain a three-point lead up to 19-16.
The Vandals responded with a massive 8-2 run to force a set point at 24-21. After two unsuccessful set points, a kill from White put the set away for the Vandals on the third set point. The Vandals won the set 25-23. White led the set in kills with a massive total of 7 kills.
In the fourth set, the Vandals again looked to force a deciding set. The set was very close being tied 8-8 through the first quarter of the set. It was still tied, 15-15, around the halfway point of the set. The Roadrunners were able to grab a two-point lead at 17-15, and though this lead was slim, it was enough to separate them from the Vandals and take the set and the match 25-21.
The Vandals’ attacks struggled in this match as the Vandals had 10 less total attacks than the Roadrunners, and 18 less kills throughout the match. The Vandals, however, despite the loss, cut down the number of aces allowed from 13 in the NDSU game to three aces against UTSA.
White was one dig shy of a double-double, getting 16 kills and nine digs, whilst Sullivan completed the double-double with 11 kills and 12 digs. After a hopeful start to the season, the Vandals look to recover from this rough patch.
Bart Jacquinet can be reached at [email protected].
Samantha W
Amazinggg!