Bears alone in first after Weber State showdown

Saturday, November 12

Greeley, Colo.

6 p.m. MT

University of Northern Colorado

17-8,11-3Big Sky

Weber State

16-9,10-4Big Sky

Weber St.

Northern Colo.

Photo by: Jam David

11/12/2022 9:36:00 PM | Women's Volleyball

Box Score Photo Gallery

By: By Jason Dormeyer

UNC Athletics · VB Postgame vs. Weber State: Lyndsey Oates

GREELEY, Colo.—Living up to the hype as a battle of the top two teams in the Big Sky Conference, Northern Colorado withstood six Weber State serves at match point in a stirring five-set dual to defeat the Wildcats, 3-2 (25-11, 25-18, 23-25, 18-25, 19-21) on Saturday.

With the win in the first rematch since last year's conference title game, Northern Colorado (17-8, 11-3 Big Sky) now holds sole possession of first place in the Big Sky standings with two matches remaining.

Still in contention for a regular-season crown, Weber State fell to 16-9 on the season and 10-4 in league play and will share second place with Portland State heading into the concluding week of the regular season.

UNC honored it's five seniors prior to the match and immediately put together one of its finest all-around sets of the season by dismantling the Wildcats, 25-11, in the opener. The Bears held Weber State to a -.083 hitting percentage and to its season low point total in a single set.

After taking the second set, UNC nearly pulled off a sweep by tying the third 23-23 before the Wildcats swung the momentum with back-to-back kills. WSU's defense put together its strongest set in the fourth and pushed the match into the decisive finale by holding UNC to a .143 attack rate.

Neither team could find separation in the fifth as the rivals generated ties on 16 occasions. WSU created its first chance at match point at 14-13 only to see senior Makenzie Harris come through with a Syd Cole-assisted kill.

Senior Kailey Jo Ince followed with two match-saving kills of her own before Harris returned to extend the match once again to even the set at 18-18. Rachel Hickman, yet another senior used a Michaela Boon set for the final set of the match at 19-all before Harris and Ince provided the go-ahead and clinching terminations.

Ince ended the night with a team-high 23 kills on 51 swings. Harris added 16 while Maddie Davies reached double figures with 11 kills. Cole topped the court with 57 assists while Boon's 34 digs helped the Bears earn a 99-83 edge in that defensive department.

The Bears will close out the regular season next week with road matches at Eastern Washington on Nov. 18 and Idaho on Nov. 19. Both matches are set for 7 p.m. MT starts.