POCATELLO, Idaho – Idaho State volleyball put together its most complete performance of the season Thursday night, defeating rival Idaho 3–1 (25–23, 25–20, 23–25, 25–19) inside Reed Gym during the program's annual Pink Out match honoring breast cancer awareness. The victory marked the Bengals' first Big Sky win of the season and their sixth consecutive triumph over the Vandals, extending a streak that dates back to 2021.
Recap
In a match filled with momentum swings and emotion, the Bengals fed off the home crowd from the opening serve. Reed Gym's fans provided the loudest home atmosphere of the season, as Idaho State came out with purpose and precision.
The Bengals opened the night with a tight 25–23 win in the first set, holding off a late Idaho rally behind timely blocks from Marci Bell and Meline Shulikov. The second set was all ISU—efficient in attack and steady in serve receive—as the Bengals hit .273 in the frame and rolled to a 25–20 victory.
After a narrow 23–25 loss in the third, Idaho State regrouped quickly. The Bengals jumped ahead 18–11 in the fourth, using their most dominant blocking run of the night to put the match away. A pair of stuff blocks from Bell and a cross-court kill by Abby McClain capped off the win, sending the home crowd into celebration.
McClain delivered one of the finest offensive performances in recent ISU history, exploding for a career-high 22 kills on .333 hitting—also the team's highest single-match total of the season. Redshirt-freshman outside hitter Annelie Wilson added a career-best nine kills, while Bell totaled eight kills and a team-high seven blocks to anchor the middle.
Setter Nora Waddoups directed the attack with 39 assists and 9 digs, also contributing five kills on .385 hitting. Shulikov chipped in 3 kills, 2 service aces, and 5 block assists, and libero Jenna Werbelow led the back row with 24 digs, marking her third 20-dig performance of the season.
Head Coach Sean Carter said the result was more than just a win—it was a confidence-building moment for a young team learning how to close out matches. "Our girls have really been needing the feeling of winning," Carter said. "Regardless of how you get it, I'm just really happy with the match. We've had a few slip away this year, so to finish one off in front of our home fans was huge."
Carter praised McClain's standout night as one of the most efficient hitting performances he's seen. "Twenty-two kills on 42 swings is an elite, elite performance," he said. "She kept getting hot and we just kept feeding her. My only regret is not getting her even more swings."
Wilson also earned high marks from her coach for her all-around play. "Annelie's going to pass and block well for us every night," Carter noted. "We've been trying to find more ways to get her on the scoreboard, and she did that tonight. She's growing a lot, and she's one of our anchors in the middle."
A major difference-maker came in serve receive, where the Bengals posted a clean sheet—not allowing a single ace. Carter called it one of the most complete passing nights the team has had all season. "Our passing was terrific," he said. "That's been an Achilles heel for us, but tonight we didn't get aced once. That's a big part of why we won."
McClain credited her teammates and setter, Nora Waddoups, for her breakout performance. "It was fun—I couldn't do it without my team," she said. "Nora did amazing. She knew exactly where to put the ball and kept setting me up in great spots."
Wilson echoed the sentiment, adding that the team's serve receive and communication were major keys. "I was proud of my hitting, but mostly I was happy with our passing," she said. "We didn't get aced tonight, and that's something we've been working on all season. Everyone was locked in."
In addition to the on-court execution, Carter said the energy inside Reed Gym played a major role down the stretch. "Our gym is the best in the Big Sky by far, especially when we pack it," he said. "Moments like that fourth set—our crowd can completely change the match. 492 felt like 1,500 tonight."
Bengal Bites
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Idaho State improves to 5–11 overall and 1–3 in Big Sky play.
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The Bengals extended their win streak to six straight over Idaho.
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Career Highs:
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Bell: 8 kills, 7 total blocks (1 solo, 6 assists).
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Waddoups: 39 assists, 9 digs, 5 kills on .385 hitting.
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Werbelow: 24 digs, match high.
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Shulikov: 3 kills, 2 aces, 5 block assists.
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ISU posted 13.0 team blocks, hit .178 overall, and did not allow a single service ace.
Next Up
Idaho State continues Big Sky play on Saturday, hosting Eastern Washington at Reed Gym. First serve is set for 2 p.m.
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