Box Score PDF
BOISE, Idaho – The Idaho State volleyball team fell in three sets to No. 1 Minnesota Saturday morning in its second match of the Boise State Classic, hosted by Boise State at Bronco Gym.
Idaho State (3-9) was led by senior outside hitter
Chloe Hirst with 11 kills while sophomore libero
Haylie Keck finished with a match-high 17 digs. Junior setter
Ashlyn Van Every posted a solid line with two kills off five attempts to hit .400 with seven assists, one dig and two block assists.
In the first set, junior outside hitter
Abby Garrity got things started for the Bengals with a kill to give ISU the 1-0 lead, but a 4-0 Gopher run put Minnesota (10-0) in front 4-1. The Bengals clawed their way back, capitalizing on multiple Minnesota errors to tie the set 7-all. The Gophers answered with an 8-3 run to lead 15-10 midway through the set, but two consecutive ISU kills, one from Hirst and another from senior
Marissa Dance, brought ISU back within two, 15-13. Yet Minnesota responded with another big run, this time a 10-2 run, to close the first set 25-15.
The second set was another set of big runs beginning with a 5-1 Minnesota run to start the set. Idaho State responded with 5-3 run of its own, ending with a kill from Hirst, to cut the Gophers lead to two, 8-6. However, multiple Idaho State errors in addition to two Minnesota kills put the Gophers ahead 13-6 and forced Idaho State to call a timeout.
Out of the break, Garrity registered a kill for the Bengals, but two-straight Minnesota kills extended the Gophers lead to nine, 16-7. Idaho State would not be able to close the gap as Minnesota took the second set 25-14.
Hirst and Garrity led the charge for the Bengals in the third set as the two combined for ISU's seven third-set kills. Yet Minnesota connected for 15 kills off 32 attempts with just one error to hit .438 to evade ISU's defensive effort. ISU never led in the third and final set as Minnesota prevailed 25-11 for the set win and the 3-0 match victory.
Minnesota was led by Stephanie Sameday who finished with a match-high 14 kills hitting .400 to go along with seven digs and one block assist. Dalianliz Rosado added 16 digs while Regan Pittman finished with one solo block and three block assists.
"I am proud of our effort this morning," Head Coach
Rick Reynolds said. "We were able to create some opportunities for ourselves in all phases of the game. Minnesota is a great team and program, and they do not give you much room for error. This was a great learning opportunity, and we are excited to continue to make progress toward our goals."
Idaho State closes non-conference play tonight against Boise State at 7:30 p.m. in the final match of the Boise State Classic.
