University of Northern Colorado Athletics
University of Northern Colorado
21-6,13-3Big Sky
Idaho
5-20,2-14Big Sky
Volleyball captures Big Sky Regular Season Title with win over Idaho
11/13/2021 9:35:00 PM | Women's Volleyball
MOSCOW, Idaho -Â Mission complete.
Needing a win over Idaho for its fourth Big Sky Regular-Season Title, Northern Colorado was led by Kailey Jo Ince's 17 kills as the Bears rolled to a 3-1 (25-21, 25-19, 21-25, 25-16) win over the Vandals.Â
Defense was the name of the game in the first set.Â
Laura Katarzynski was seemingly everywhere. The senior piled up eight digs in the first set alone and held the Vandals to .079 hitting.Â
While the four blocks from the Vandals kept things close, back-to-back kills from Cece Huhn gave the Bears a four-point separation toward the end of the set. Â
Huhn led all UNC players in the opening set with six kills, leading her team to the early lead. Â
Much like the first set, Idaho hung around in the early going. Stout serving from Katarzynski and Kyndall Feather changed all of that, though. Â
With the Vandals out of system, Huhn, Rachel Hickman and Ince took advantage. Â
Two separate 3-0 runs from Northern Colorado gave the Bears the cushion and the momentum it was looking for. Â
On top of her offensive output, Huhn was just as dynamic defensively. The Wisconsin native dialed up five total blocks through the first two sets.Â
Huhn would end the evening with 12 kills on an even .500 hitting. Â
Meanwhile, Ince quietly put up a match-high 17 kills and 10 digs for her ninth double-double of the season.Â
Katarzynski and the defense didn't waver either. She added another eight to her match-leading total and held Idaho to .024 in the second set. Katarzynski finished the night with a match-high 29 digs.Â
A 7-0 run midway through the third set kept Northern Colorado close but Idaho hit over .300 and closed out the set with a 4-0 run to extend the match into the fourth. Â
UNC got back to its aggressive ways at the service line in the fourth set. Feather added two more aces to her total. The Sterling, Colorado native finished with a match-high four. Katarzynski added another as well and the Bears were off and running. Â
Northern Colorado's balanced attack featured three kills apiece from Hickman, Strain, Huhn and Ince. Â
The Bears hit .344 and out dug the Vandals 17-12 to grab the four-set win, and more importantly, a Big Sky Regular-Season title.
What They Said
Head Coach, Lyndsey OatesÂ
Game NotesÂ
 -      Northern Colorado secured its fourth Big Sky Regular-Season Title since joining the conference in 2006.
-Â Â Â Â Â Â Kailey Jo Ince had a match-high 17 kills and 10 digs for her ninth double-double of the season.
-Â Â Â Â Â Â Laura Katarzynski dialed up a match-high 29 digs.
-Â Â Â Â Â Â Cece Huhn matched her season-high with 12 kills on .500 hitting.
-Â Â Â Â Â Â The UNC defense held their opponent to under .250 hitting for the 16th time this season.
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What's Ahead.
After the tiebreaker, Northern Colorado will enter the Big Sky Tournament as the No. 2 seed and will face Eastern Washington in the first round on Thursday, November 18. The match is slated for 1 p.m. MT.
To stay up to date on all things UNC volleyball, visit UNCBears.com and follow the team on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.
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