SPOKANE, Wash. – Northwest University earned another split on day two of the CCC-Frontier Challenge matches as they defeated #25 Carroll in the morning match and dropped a 4 set decision to Montana Western in the afternoon.
Montana Western defeated Northwest University, 3-1 (23-25, 23-25, 26-24, 20-25), in the second game for both teams in the CCC-Frontier Challenge this afternoon. Montana Western rebounded from a morning loss to Eastern Oregon, while Northwest took the loss after defeating Carroll in a 10 a.m. game.
Set one of the match saw Montana Western take an early lead and never trail in the set. Western bolted out to a 9-3 lead after a Bailey Branson kill. NU would close to within one, 14-13, later in the set after
Hannah Hanson's kill, but Western would go on a 4-0 run, capitalizing on their three kills and two attack errors by Northwest. Branson would win the set 25-23, with her kill.
In the second set, Montana Western would again lead early, 15-8, capped off by Brea Mitchell's kill. But, the Eagles would battle back and rattle off 7 straight points aided by two kills by Alivia Johnson and two service aces by
Leia Roy to tie things up at 15-15. There would be four more ties and Western would take command of the set after the final tie of the set at 19-all. MWU would out score NU 6-4 to take the set and go up 2-0 in the match.
Northwest would take the early 9-7 lead in the 3
rd set, but MW would come back to tie it up at 9-9 on an NU miscue. Western would take a brief lead at 12-10, but NU would come back strong and outscore the Bulldogs 5-1 to lead 15-13 on a kill by Molly Boyle. MWU would then turn the tables and outscore the Eagles 5-3 to regain the lead at 18-15. MWU would have set and match point, leading 24-23, but the Eagles would tie it on Sarah Stoker's kill and
Leia Roy's ace. After a Western timeout,
Rae Ann Haistings would win the set for NU with her kill.
In the fourth and final set, Montana Western would lead early at 10-4 and never look back as they would lead the entire set on their way to the match win. NU would close to 21-19 on a Stoker kill and attack error by MWU, but Breanne Kelley's kill and an attack error by NU would give the set and match to the Bulldogs.
Sarah Stoker led Northwest U. (2-2) with 12 kills while
Rae Ann Haistings registered a double-double with 11 kills and 15 digs. Ashton Arbuthnot continued her solid play with her second match high of the day with 46 assists and 12 digs for the double-double.
Leia Roy led the Eagles with 29 digs.
Breanne Kelley and Bailey Branson led Montana Western with 15 kills each and both completed the double-double with 17 and 11 digs respectively. Paige Latimer added 39 assists and 15 digs and Kendra Mendicino led the Bulldogs with 26 digs.
Said Eagle coach Steven Bain, "Tough loss for us. We're a young team that has a lot to learn from wins and well as losses although Montana Western played a solid match and deserved the win. We'll bounce back."
Northwest closes the day out with a 6 p.m. scrimmage with North Idaho and takes to the court on Saturday for their final two matches with MSU Northern at 2 p.m. and Montana Tech at 6 p.m.
