University of Northern Colorado Athletics
Saturday, November 22
Pocatello, Idaho
7:30 p.m.
University of Northern Colorado
22-9
3
at
0
Idaho State
23-9
1
2
3
F
Northern Colorado
25
25
29
3
Idaho State
17
20
27
0
Volleyball Wins Big Sky Championship
11/22/2014 10:38:00 PM | Women's Volleyball
UNC volleyball swept Idaho State to win their fourth Big Sky Championship
POCATELLO, Idaho—For the fourth time in the school's history, the Northern Colorado Volleyball team punched its ticket to the NCAA Division I Volleyball Tournament after defeating Idaho State Saturday night 3-0. The victory gave the Bears (22-9, 12-4 Big Sky) the Big Sky Conference Tournament Championship, all via sweeps.
"I am really proud of the girls," head coach Lyndsey Oates said. "They played hard and stuck to the game plan. We were able to be well balanced offensively."
Andrea Spaustat (Omaha, Neb.), Katie Champion (Logansport, Ind.) and Kendra Cunningham (Eaton) were named to the All-Tournament Team. Cunningham was named the tournament MVP. During the three matches, she accumulated 33 kills, 29 digs, seven total blocks, three assists and two serving aces.
UNC once again used its balanced attack and solid defense to earn the win and extend its win streak to seven matches.
For the seventh straight match, the Bears held their opponent under .200 hitting, keeping the Bengals to .177. Meagan Garcia (18) and Cunningham (12) recorded double-figure digs for Northern Colorado. UNC also blocked eight attacks by ISU.
Cunningham added a team-leading 16 kills with her 12 digs to record her 15th double-double of the season.
The Bears offense had five players with six or more kills, including Cunningham, Champion (11), Timarie Nymeyer (eight), Brianna Strong (seven) and Spaustat (six).
UNC got off to a quick start in the match, opening up on a 5-1 run. ISU would battle back in the set, until a 6-0 run led by tough Champion serving gave the Bears an 18-8 lead. Northern Colorado would go on to use that cushion and win the set 25-17.
Idaho State took an early lead in the second set before UNC went on another run, this time 5-0 to take its first lead of the set at 9-8. Cunningham was a part of three of the points during that run with two kills and a block assist with Spaustat. The Bears and Bengals battled back and forth the rest of the set until Spaustat went to the service line, leading a 6-0 run.
In the third, set the Bears battled back from a 17-11 hole to square the set up at 21. The teams would trade the next 12 points making the match 27 all. Strong would get a kill to give the Bears a 28-27 lead, and an attack error by Idaho State would seal the victory.
"We made some key plays and were able to stay composed, definitely at the end of the match when we were out of substitutions," Oates said. "We played hard and earned a great win against a very good Idaho State team."
Northern Colorado will return home to recognize its seniors Spaustat and Strong at noon on Saturday, Nov. 29 against the University of Denver in preparation for the NCAA Tournament.
UNC will learn their opponent for the NCAA Volleyball Tournament during the selection show at 6:30 p.m. on Sunday, Nov. 30 on ESPNU.
The 2014 All-Tournament Team:
Kendra Cunningham – Northern Colorado (MVP)
Andrea Spaustat – Northern Colorado
Katie Champion – Northern Colorado
Sydney Kemper – Northern Arizona
Hayley Farrer – Idaho State
Kylee Sessions – Idaho State
Tressa Lyman – Idaho State
"I am really proud of the girls," head coach Lyndsey Oates said. "They played hard and stuck to the game plan. We were able to be well balanced offensively."
Andrea Spaustat (Omaha, Neb.), Katie Champion (Logansport, Ind.) and Kendra Cunningham (Eaton) were named to the All-Tournament Team. Cunningham was named the tournament MVP. During the three matches, she accumulated 33 kills, 29 digs, seven total blocks, three assists and two serving aces.
UNC once again used its balanced attack and solid defense to earn the win and extend its win streak to seven matches.
For the seventh straight match, the Bears held their opponent under .200 hitting, keeping the Bengals to .177. Meagan Garcia (18) and Cunningham (12) recorded double-figure digs for Northern Colorado. UNC also blocked eight attacks by ISU.
Cunningham added a team-leading 16 kills with her 12 digs to record her 15th double-double of the season.
The Bears offense had five players with six or more kills, including Cunningham, Champion (11), Timarie Nymeyer (eight), Brianna Strong (seven) and Spaustat (six).
UNC got off to a quick start in the match, opening up on a 5-1 run. ISU would battle back in the set, until a 6-0 run led by tough Champion serving gave the Bears an 18-8 lead. Northern Colorado would go on to use that cushion and win the set 25-17.
Idaho State took an early lead in the second set before UNC went on another run, this time 5-0 to take its first lead of the set at 9-8. Cunningham was a part of three of the points during that run with two kills and a block assist with Spaustat. The Bears and Bengals battled back and forth the rest of the set until Spaustat went to the service line, leading a 6-0 run.
In the third, set the Bears battled back from a 17-11 hole to square the set up at 21. The teams would trade the next 12 points making the match 27 all. Strong would get a kill to give the Bears a 28-27 lead, and an attack error by Idaho State would seal the victory.
"We made some key plays and were able to stay composed, definitely at the end of the match when we were out of substitutions," Oates said. "We played hard and earned a great win against a very good Idaho State team."
Northern Colorado will return home to recognize its seniors Spaustat and Strong at noon on Saturday, Nov. 29 against the University of Denver in preparation for the NCAA Tournament.
UNC will learn their opponent for the NCAA Volleyball Tournament during the selection show at 6:30 p.m. on Sunday, Nov. 30 on ESPNU.
The 2014 All-Tournament Team:
Kendra Cunningham – Northern Colorado (MVP)
Andrea Spaustat – Northern Colorado
Katie Champion – Northern Colorado
Sydney Kemper – Northern Arizona
Hayley Farrer – Idaho State
Kylee Sessions – Idaho State
Tressa Lyman – Idaho State
Team Stats
UNCO
ISU
Kills
50
40
Errors
15
18
Attempts
126
124
Hitting %
.278
.177
Points
62.0
49.0
Assists
49
40
Aces
4
4
Blocks
8.0
5.0
Game Leaders
Kills-Aces-Blocks
Kills
16
Aces
0
Blocks
2
Kills
11
Aces
1
Blocks
0
Kills
8
Aces
0
Blocks
0
Kills
7
Aces
0
Blocks
4
Players Mentioned
OH
/ Women's VolleyballOH
/ Women's Volleyball
DS
/ Women's VolleyballMB
/ Women's Volleyball
MB
/ Women's VolleyballMB
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