University of Northern Colorado Athletics
University of Northern Colorado
7-6, 0-1Big Sky
Idaho
5-8, 1-0Big Sky
Bear's Volleyball Falls to Idaho in Conference Opener
9/25/2014 3:06:00 PM | Women's Volleyball
Northern Colorado Volleyball fell to Idaho 3-1 (25-19, 29-31, 23-25, 19-25) to open Big Sky Conference Play
GREELEY—Northern Colorado women's volleyball started out conference season with a loss to Idaho (5-8, 1-0) in four sets (25-19, 29-31, 23-25, 19-25), moving the Bears to 7-6 overall, 0-1 in conference.
For the fourth consecutive match freshman middle blocker Timarie Nymeyer set a career high in kills, leading Northern Colorado with 17. Nymeyer also led the team in hitting at .483. Putting up 14 kills, freshman outside hitter Kim Weissmann also set a career-high.
"It helps that Ashley puts up great balls every time, and when you are facing two big middles like that you have to get to the outside really quick," Nymyer said.
Sophomore setter Ashley Guthrie also had a season-high 55 assists in the loss.
Using a quick 10-4 run to start the match gave UNC control of the first set. The Bears offense played well in first set hitting .378, while accumulating 20 kills. A part of Nymeyer's career night included six kills while hitting 1.000 for the set. Idaho was also held to its lowest hitting percentage of the night in the first set, at .200.
The middle two sets were highly contested, including 15 ties and 6 lead changes. Idaho got out to a fast start in the second set, taking a 7-1 advantage, before the Bears were able to mount a rally, finally tying the score at 14. Weissmann helped lead the charge for the Bears with seven kills and only one error on 13 total attempts in the set.
"We have to keep on being aggressive, and it is just the beginning of conference, so we have time to work on it," said Kendra Cunningham, who had 15 kills and 12 digs, marking her fourth consecutive double-double and team-leading seventh of the year.
The fourth set was all Vandals, who hit .432, and used an early 6-1 run to take control of the set and the match.
"I don't think we were the most aggressive team tonight, and that cost us at times tonight," said head coach Lyndsey Oates. "We need to continue to improve on blocking on the pins, being more aggressive out of system and serve tougher."
The Bears return to action at 7 p.m. Saturday against Eastern Washington at Butler-Hancock.
