Tough Serving Leads @UNCBearsVB Past Alumni

Saturday, August 20

Greeley, Colo.

2:00 pm

University of Northern Colorado

Alumni Match

Alumnae Team

Northern Colorado

8/20/2016 4:50:00 PM | Women's Volleyball

Box Score

Northern Colorado volleyball made quick work of the alumni in a sweep Saturday

By: Ryan Pfeifer, UNCBears.com

GREELEY, Colo. – The Northern Colorado volleyball team warmed up for the 2016 season by quickly dispatching the Bears of the past 3-0 in the annual Alumni Match.

Box Score

(8/20/2016) Volleyball Alumni Match

How it Happened
The 2016 Bears got out to a sluggish start in the match, falling behind 6-2 to the alums. UNC proceeded to go on a 7-0 run behind the tough serving of Kortney Lockey to take control of the first set.

During the set, the team was paced by the steady defense of Makenna Meier's seven digs and the combined six kills offensively from Timarie Nymeyer and Lockey to take it 25-12. UNC hit .296 as a team during the set.

In the second set, Northern Colorado once again rode a strong performance from the service line to take command of it. This time senior setter Ashley Guthrie was behind the charge.

The Bears went from down two early, to up five by the time Guthrie was forced off the line.

The team's offense also performed well during the set, hitting a match best .351.

By the time the teams reached the third set, UNC had worn out the Alumni team and it showed in the 25-10 set win to secure the sweep.

The Bears had a pair of 8-1 runs during the set, taking advantage of 12 attack errors from the Alums.

Game Changer
Timarie Nymeyer led the Big Sky in attack percentage last season, and if the Alumni Match is any indication of what the 2016 has to hold, she will be right up there again. She finished the match tied for a team-high nine kills with just one error for a .421 hitting percentage.

Key Stat
Tough serving is the start to a good defense. On Saturday the Bears served very tough, recording nine aces as a team. Seniors Makenna Meier and Ashley Guthrie led the squad with three each.

In Their Words
"I thought this match was exactly what we needed at this point in the preseason. We are not exactly game ready, but we will be there by Friday. We served well, we served very tough. It's probably not a fair assessment against an alumni team. Passing is usually the first thing to go as an alum. Still, we served tough. That was probably our best skill today. Our blocking and serve receive could have been sharper along with our approach to the match. As a veteran team we have to start the matches better." – Head coach Lyndsey Oates

"We served really well today. We have been working on it a ton since the spring and like Tim (Nymeyer) said, we have been working on offense a lot, so have we with serving, which will make us a tougher team and something different for the conference to see. Really in the preseason it will be all about serving and passing, since the offense won't be in sync yet." – Senior defensive specialist Makenna Meier

"We all had a blast I could just tell. We did speed up our offense from last year to this year, but we have been doing that all spring and summer so for us it almost feels normal. It will be exciting to play other teams though and they will be like, that's new to UNC volleyball." – Junior outside hitter Timarie Nymeyer.

Notables
- UNC's freshman class showed well during their first match on the Bank of Colorado court. Defensive specialists Taylor Els and Alyssa Chisholm had a combined five digs while front row players Anna Graham and Sarah Wyland combined for five kills.
- The Greeley community came out in strong support for the match with 538 in attendance.
- Northern Colorado had a balanced offensive attack with no one in double figures for kills, and five different players recording four or more.

Up Next
With two-a-days and the Alumni Match now in the rearview mirror, it's time for the 2016 season to officially start next week. UNC opens the year at home on August 26 at 7 pm when they host the St. Mary's Gales.

Before the match on Friday the team will be hosting a special Volleyball 101 class for fans to attend. Head coach Lyndsey Oates and the UNC volleyball staff will teach fans about the basics of the game from 6:00-6:30 inside the Champions Room at Butler-Hancock Athletic Center. Small snacks and drinks will be provided.

Don't miss out on any of the 2016 UNC volleyball season by purchasing tickets now. There are many great options in season tickets, single game tickets and the brand new MVB program. For more information on these great options click here.

To stay up to date on all things UNC volleyball, visit UNCBears.com and follow the team on Twitter at @UNCBearsVB.