Bengals Sweep Vandals, Maintain Big Sky's Best Record

By Matt Gittins, ISU Sports Information

MOSCOW, Idaho – The Idaho State volleyball team extended their lead in the Big Sky Conference standings by sweeping the University of Idaho 3-0 (25-13, 25-21 and 25-22) Saturday night in Moscow. 

The match marked the first time the two schools have met in volleyball since 2002 with the previous time being in 1995.  

"That was a sweet win tonight," Head Coach Chad Teichert said. "They are a really good team so to get a victory especially on the road is really nice."

The Bengals held the Vandals to a .044 attack percentage.  That is a lowest mark for an ISU opponent this season.  Five players finished with double-digit digs led by Kylee Sessions with 16.

Idaho State has won five straight matches, 12 of the last 13 and holds a two-game lead over the second best record in the Big Sky Conference (9-1).

"The girls were really focused tonight," Teichert said. "I love the way we are playing right now but I definitely want us to get better."

Whitney Bartschi-Harrington had nine kills on just 13 attacks with no errors (.692). It is the highest individual attack percentage of the season and the second most kills in 2014 without committing an error.

"That's a great night," Teichert said. "When you work as hard as she does you are going to have some of those games."

Idaho State rolled to the 25-13 opening set victory. The team scored the final eight points with Makenzie Filer serving.  Filer was also one of three players with a game-high nine kills (Bartschi-Harrington and Tressa Lyman). The Bengals are 19-4 in the first set of matches in 2014.

The Vandals responded by jumping out to a 13-9 advantage in set two but ISU would rattle off 11 straight points with Hayley Farrer serving to seize control and win the set.

"If you can get a few runs going like we did tonight you have a chance to win," Teichert said. "Both of them (Farrer and Filer) have really good serves. We also had some great hustle plays tonight. It was fun to watch."

Pocatello native Jenna Ellis led the way for the Vandals with 23 digs.

ISU continues their road-trip next week with matches at Northern Arizona on Thursday October 30th and Southern Utah on Saturday November 1st.