University of Northern Colorado Athletics
University of Northern Colorado
4-1,0-0Big Sky
Rider
1-4,0-0MAAC
Bears Buck the Broncs in Straight Sets
9/6/2024 11:07:00 PM | Women's Volleyball
GREELEY, Colo. – Northern Colorado swept Rider (19-25, 20-17, 23-25) at Bank of Colorado Arena Friday.
The Bears produced at the highest level in the early season on the offensive end. They converted 49 of 105 swings, with 12 errors, hitting .352, while holding the Broncs to .225. Rider committed 14 errors and registered 37 kills in 102 attempts.
Gabi Placide paced UNC with 13 kills, while Isabel Bennett recorded 11. Alayna Tessena dropped in 10. Syd Cole quarterbacked the offense with 37 of the Bears 44 assists. Samantha Steele inked a match-high 11 digs, while 10 other Bears netted at least one.
In the opening set, UNC led 15-14 at the media time out and tallied five of the next eight points and forced a Rider timeout at 20-17. The stoppage failed to slow the Bears, as they grabbed a 1-0 advantage with a 5-2 spurt out of the timeout.
UNC increased the defensive pressure in sets two and three, holding Rider's hitting percentage under .200 in each game.
The Bears built a 22-16 edge by the time the Broncs exhausted their second timeout of the game. They closed to within four at 24-20 before Placide slammed home the winner and sent UNC to the locker room with a 2-0 cushion.
Rider overcame a five-point deficit in game three and knotted the score at 22-all. A pair of miscues by the Broncs edged UNC to three match points. Following a Rider winner, Placide closed the match with a kill.
Up Next
The Bears host Rider at 11 a.m. Saturday before UNC and Ole Miss concludes the three-day tournament at 6 p.m.
