Bengals Sweep UVU in Home Opener

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POCATELLO, Idaho- When Rick Reynolds was hired as head coach, he wanted to get his team a home match before conference play started the end of September. He found that in Utah Valley University and the end result on Tuesday night was a 25-15, 25-18, 25-17 sweep for the Bengals. With the win, Idaho State improved to 2-2 on the season.

Senior Tressa Lyman led the Bengals with a game-high 11 kills to go along with eight digs, and senior Makenzie Filer continued her solid play with nine kills and a .667 hitting percentage to go along with three blocks.

"The crowd was great," Reynolds said. "The girls played well and the effort was there. What more can you ask for as a coach."

The Bengals came out hot in the first set, racing out to a 4-0 lead before a service error gave the Wolverines their first points of the match. ISU kept Utah Valley at bay and increased their lead to as many as seven two different times in the first set. The Wolverines were able to cut the lead to five, 18-13, but ISU finished on a 7-2 run to win the set, 25-15.

In the second set, the two teams traded point for point until a kill by sophomore Chloe Hirst broke a 12-all tie. Hirst's kill started an 8-3 Bengal run that finished with three straight ISU kills from Lyman, sophomore Marissa Todd and junior Bailey Bars. Idaho State ended the set with three straight points to take the second set, 25-18.

Idaho State started the third set like they did the first, beginning with a 4-0 run.  The Wolverines cut the Bengals lead to one, 11-10, but Idaho State responded with another short burst to put them up 18-14. A kill by UVU's Lauren Bakker cut the lead to three, but ISU ended the match on a 7-2 run to take the set, 25-17 and sweep the Wolverines 3-0.

As Reynolds looked back on what his team did well he said he was pleased with the effort and energy.  

"Skill wise we have to keep taking steps forward," he said. "There is still too much thinking going on on the court. We have to get past that point as players and coaches where we are thinking too much. We have to play mind free volleyball. Tonight we thought a little too much and didn't execute as clean as possible, but effort was there and our energy was high. Those are things that can win you ball games when you have talent. Our talent overcame when we weren't the cleanest."

Idaho State heads to Boise to play in the Boise State Invitational at Boise State Sept. 3-5. ISU plays at Boise State on Sept. 3 at 7 p.m. before playing Northwestern on Sept. 4 at 2:30 p.m. and Texas A&M Corpus Christi on Sept. 5 at 2:30 p.m.