| Outside hitter Amy Collette blasts the ball at Western Wyoming defenders during Friday night’s match at the BDAC. Although Western Wyoming was successful in their block, Collete managed 15 other kills in the match. |
The Bunnell-Dmitrich Athletic Center was filled with volleyball flurry last weekend as the Lady Golden Eagles hosted two late-season matches against Western Wyoming Community College and North Idaho College.
In both matches, the outcome came down to a fifth match. CEU defeated Western Wyoming on Friday night but lost to North Idaho College Saturday afternoon in a tight finish.
After easily defeating the Lady Spartans in the first game 30-17, CEU lost the second game 23-30.
Two out of the final three games went into extra play. CEU eventually sealed the win in the fifth game.
Games scores were 32-30, 29-31 and 15-11.
Freshman Amy Collette lead the team with 15 kills, one ace, and three blocks.
Sophomore Sandra Sorenson added 13 kills, seven blocks and one ace of her own and sophomore Amy Fluckiger contributed nine kills and two blocks while only recording two errors.
Coach Brent Martindale said the team should have taken the match in less games but was content because most of the team was able get some playing time against a good opponent.
Next day’s match against NIC was just as intense as the previous night.
CEU struck first, winning game one 31-29.
However, NIC collected a win in games two, three and five to win the match.
Final scores were 24-30, 31-33, 30-27 and 11-15.
“We should have beat them,” Martindale commented. “But we sort of played flat and had a few too many hitting errors.”
Martindale attributes the play of freshman Emily Bowles as the reason CEU was even able to stay in the match.
Bowles finished the day with 17 kills and a hitting percentage of .406. She also added three blocks, three aces and 11 digs.
“She kept us alive at times,” he stated.
The conference loss to NIC drops CEU to a fourth-place tie with Snow College.
With three matches remaining in the regular season, Martindale said the team is hoping to take two of the three to finish with a winning record.
The team has yet to end the regular season above 500.
CEU’s final home match of the year is this Saturday, Nov. 1, against Colorado Northwestern Community College. The match begins at 3 p.m.
The team will then travel to Snow and Dixie College the following weekend.