University of Northern Colorado Athletics
Jesus Ayala | UNC Athletics
Bears Defeat Hornets in Four Sets
10/9/2025 8:43:00 PM | Women's Volleyball
GREELEY, Colo. — Northern Colorado volleyball (6-11, 3-2) returned home to the Bank of Colorado Arena on Thursday night and delivered a strong performance, defeating Sacramento State (9-7, 2-2) in four sets (25-18, 20-25, 25-14, 25-21).
The Bears came out with energy and focus, taking control early in the match. Senior Brynn Reines led the offensive charge with 18 kills and contributed eight crucial digs, showcasing her all-around impact on the court. Junior Nerea Alvarez Jorge ran the offense with poise, dishing out 45 assists and adding 13 digs on the defensive end to earn a double-double.
Isabel Bennett also stepped up for the Bears, notching 11 kills and providing a reliable scoring option throughout the match.
Defensively, the Bears put together a well-rounded effort, tallying five total blocks and an impressive 63 digs. Junior Bella LePore anchored the back row with a match-high 23 digs and delivered four service aces, proving to be a key difference-maker on both sides of the ball.
"I thought tonight our mindset was good," said Head Coach Lyndsey Oates. "Our middle backs came up with some big digs. It was Leila's first time playing consistently in that back row role — her first real start, even if not official. She played the whole match and worked her way into it with some strong plays."
After a minor stumble in the second set, the Bears responded with a dominant third set and held off a late push from the Hornets in the fourth. Northern Colorado used the momentum to close out the match and secure the win.
The victory lifts the Bears to 6-11 overall and 3-2 in Big Sky Conference play as they continue to find their rhythm heading deeper into the season.
UP NEXT
The Bears will host Portland State on Saturday at Bank of Colorado Arena. First serve is set for 2 pm MT.
FOLLOW THE BEARS
Fans can follow and stay up to date on all the Bear action online and on social media. Follow the Bears on X (formerly Twitter) (@UNC_BearsVB), Instagram (@UNC_BearsVB), and Facebook (/UNCBearsVB)
The Bears came out with energy and focus, taking control early in the match. Senior Brynn Reines led the offensive charge with 18 kills and contributed eight crucial digs, showcasing her all-around impact on the court. Junior Nerea Alvarez Jorge ran the offense with poise, dishing out 45 assists and adding 13 digs on the defensive end to earn a double-double.
Isabel Bennett also stepped up for the Bears, notching 11 kills and providing a reliable scoring option throughout the match.
Defensively, the Bears put together a well-rounded effort, tallying five total blocks and an impressive 63 digs. Junior Bella LePore anchored the back row with a match-high 23 digs and delivered four service aces, proving to be a key difference-maker on both sides of the ball.
"I thought tonight our mindset was good," said Head Coach Lyndsey Oates. "Our middle backs came up with some big digs. It was Leila's first time playing consistently in that back row role — her first real start, even if not official. She played the whole match and worked her way into it with some strong plays."
After a minor stumble in the second set, the Bears responded with a dominant third set and held off a late push from the Hornets in the fourth. Northern Colorado used the momentum to close out the match and secure the win.
The victory lifts the Bears to 6-11 overall and 3-2 in Big Sky Conference play as they continue to find their rhythm heading deeper into the season.
UP NEXT
The Bears will host Portland State on Saturday at Bank of Colorado Arena. First serve is set for 2 pm MT.
FOLLOW THE BEARS
Fans can follow and stay up to date on all the Bear action online and on social media. Follow the Bears on X (formerly Twitter) (@UNC_BearsVB), Instagram (@UNC_BearsVB), and Facebook (/UNCBearsVB)
Team Stats
SacSt
UNC
Kills
41
58
Errors
23
19
Attempts
135
134
Hitting %
.133
.291
Points
53.0
77.0
Assists
36
53
Aces
5
8
Blocks
7
11
Game Leaders
Players Mentioned
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