Box Score
Moscow, Idaho The University of Nevada(4-6, 1-2 WAC) lost a five-game, two hour 35 minute Western Athletic Conference thriller to the University of Idaho(4-8, 1-1 WAC) 3-2 on Thursday night at Memorial Gym in Moscow, Idaho. The loss marked the first time this season that the Wolf Pack has lost back to back matches and leaves the squad 4-6 on the year, 1-2 in conference play. The Vandals improved to 4-8 overall and 1-1 in WAC action.
Nevada won game four 30-26 to force a deciding fifth game that would need extra action to decide. The fifth game was tied 17 times and there were five lead changes before the Vandals would take the game 21-19 and match 3-2. With the scored tied at 19-19 UI went in front on an attack error by Pack senior Teal Ericson and got a kill from Sarah Conwell to close out the match 21-19. Offensively the Pack struggled hitting .067 while the Vandals hit .250.
Game one went back and forth as there were 14 ties and six lead changes before the Vandals prevailed 30-28. UI scored the final two points to break the 28-28 tie to take 1-0 lead in the match. Nevada hit .174 and the Vandals .157 in the first game.
In game two Nevada put together a 3-0 run to break a 15-15 tie and never trailed the rest of the way in winning 30-26. Sophomore Jorgan Staker and freshman Lindsay Baldwin ended the game with a block of Haley Larsen. The Pack hit .184 and held the Vandals to a .091 attack percentage.
The Vandals used a 4-0 run to snap a 7-7 tie and never trailed in winning game three 30-23 to take a 2-1 games lead in the match. Offensively the Pack had their worst hitting game of the night at .047 and UI hit .151.
Needing a win in game four the Pack scored a 30-26 victory to force the deciding fifth game where they came up short 21-19. A 4-0 run by Nevada broke a 9-9 tie in game four and the Pack stayed in front the rest of the way to even the match at two games apiece. Nevada had its best hitting game of the night at .235 and held UI to a .148 attack percentage.
Ericson led the Pack with 24 kills and senior Karly Sipherd added a season-high 20. Baldwin was also in double figures with 10 kills and finished with a career-high 13 blocks to record her first career double-double. Setter Ashley Miller dished out 58 assists. Libero Allison Hernandez finished with a career-high 27 digs and freshman Nicole Link also posted a career high with 19 digs.
Larsen led UI with a match-high 29 kills and finished with 15 digs to post a double-double. Conwell added 19 kills and hit .359 on the night. Sarah Loney recorded a double-double with 16 kills and 20 digs. Setter Kelsey James also posted a doubled-double with 63 assists and 22 digs. Kelsey Yonker and Jamie Richards also reached double figures in digs with 22 and 13 respectively.
UI held a slim hitting advantage .154 to .151 in the match. The Pack won the blocking battle 16-12 with Baldwin finishing with a match-high 13. Anna McKinney led the Vandals with six blocks.
Nevada continues its road trip traveling to Boise, Idaho to take on Boise State Saturday night at 7:00 p.m.
