Bears Volleyball Take Down New Mexico

Saturday, August 31

Greeley, Colo.

12 PM

University of Northern Colorado

2-0,0-0Big Sky

New Mexico

1-2,0-0MWC

New Mexico

Northern Colo.

8/31/2019 4:28:00 PM | Women's Volleyball

Box Score

By: Hannah Adler

Greeley, Colo. - Northern Colorado volleyball took down their second big opponent in as many days, defeating New Mexico, 3-2.

The Bears came out of the gates firing and quickly built an 11-5 lead against the Lobos. A small rally from New Mexico was short lived as Sophomore KJ Ince put two big kills away to hold the lead for the Bears. "This was a growing match for KJ," Head Coach Lyndsey Oates said, "She started strong and then we lost her a little bit in sets three and four, then she came back in set 5 and that's how our team flowed. That's how important she is to our team, when she's terminating and playing aggressive, our team follows that lead."

The Bears would extend their lead to 20-13 before the Lobos would fight back to 22-20. The Bears would turn to the steady hand of Junior Taylor Muff to close out the first set for the Bears, 25-23.

Kyndall Feather kicked off the second set with an ace before New Mexico built a 6-3 lead. The Lobos built a 17-10 midway through the set before an 11-1 run by the Bears would give them the lead, 21-18. After a timely timeout taken by the Lobos, they would score two straight before Lauren Hinrichs and Maddy Bremer would put kills away to help seal a set two victory, 25-22.

A yellow card assessed to the Lobos, and great serving from Feather and Taylor Els, would see the Bears get out to a 6-1 lead to start set three. New Mexico battled back to within one before the Bears would extend their lead to five at 17-12. The Lobos weren't done yet though as they would take the lead 24-22 before the two teams would knot it up at 24. In a very bizarre finish to the set, UNC would go up two points at 31-29 to seemingly win the match, until a challenge by New Mexico would show the Bears were out of their service rotation and the points would be reversed to a 30-29 lead for the Lobos. New Mexico finished the set, winning 32-30.

Both teams came out energized to start the fourth as they exchanged leads through the first half of the set. The Lobos would use a 4-0 run to push their lead to 22-17 and eventually take the set, 25-21.

In the deciding 5th set, the Bears came out strong and built a 12-3 lead behind the serving of Laura Katarzynski and great team play. The Bears closed out the Lobos and the match, 15-4.

Feather had a great all-around match, especially starting each set for the Bears. Coach Oates on Feather's performance, "Kyndall is our best server, we wanted to get her serving as much as possible and that's why we start in that rotation is to have Kyndall serve. She did a great job as our libero as well."

Daisy Schultz led everyone with 50 assists and led the team with 17 digs. UNC ended with four players with double-digit kills led by Muff at 16 and Ince at 15. Coach Oates on her leaders, "I thought Daisy and Taylor were really steady for us today and they had to be the leaders and I think that's good for them. Daisy did a really good job running our offense today and setting the right people at the right time and really had control of the game."
The Bears are back for their final game of the Hampton Inn and Suites Northern Colorado Classic as they take on Grand Canyon at 7:00 p.m.