The Idaho Vandals played their final game of four in a row at home, hosting the Bears from Northern Colorado University. NCU is the number one team in the Big Sky with an overall record of 16-5 and 7-1 in conference. The first matchup of 2024 between these two schools with the Bears winning the last 10 in a row outscoring UI 30 sets to five.
The match started quickly for the Bears, scoring the first three, then jumping to an 8-2 lead before UI took a timeout. It would work to no avail as NCU expanded their lead growing to as many as a dozen at 17-5 before the Vandals would grab a couple more to draw within 10 but that was about it as the Bears went on to take the opening set 25-14
The Bears grabbed the first point of the second set, but the Vandals quickly responded to tie the game up. NCU tried to keep growing their advantage, but UI got back to within two at 10-8. A 5-2 run by the Bears had them up five when Coach Romana took a timeout to regroup. The Vandals scored the next two to get within three but then NCU began to pull away and extended their lead to as much as 11 late taking a 24-13 advantage and closing out the middle frame 25-15.
Idaho grabbed their first lead of the day taking an early 1-0 lead in the third set. This frame would be much closer as there were eight ties and three lead changes and then the Bears took over from there going on a 7-2 run to go up five causing the Vandals to take a timeout. NCU maintained a five-point cushion from there and even grew by a few more closing out the set 25-16 and completing the sweep. Sophomore Bella Lepore served an ace to finish it.
Vandals fall to 1-19 on the year and 0-9 in conference play. They go back on the road for their next two matchups against Sacramento State and Portland State then return home for their final two games in the Memorial Gymnasium. UI will meet NCU again in Greely, Colorado on November 21. Their upcoming game at SCSU is Halloween night at 6 p.m. On ESPN+.
You can reach Jackson Hamelund at [email protected].