By Staff
LARAMIE, Wyo.– The University of Wyoming Cowgirl volleyball team opened the Wyoming Invite with a 3-1 (25-22, 25-16, 18-25, 25-21) victory over the Idaho State Bengals on Thursday night. Junior’s Laura Beach and Kayla Slofkiss each had 13 kills for UW (8-2 overall), as Allison Waldvogel recorded a team-high 17 digs with Lily Austin adding a season-high 15 digs.
Senior Bridget Shanahan was next in line with nine kills on the night. Emily Hines and Reed Copeland each added six kills for the Cowgirls. In addition to Copeland once again leading the Cowgirls with nine total blocks, Austin and Waldvogel helped carry the Cowgirl defense. It was the second-consecutive match they each had double-digits digs. Copeland, who came into tonight’s match third in the NCAA in blocks per set and fifth in overall blocks, has led Wyoming every match this season and now has 67 total block on the year. Hines also had five digs on the evening, as Slofkiss, who finished with nine digs was one away from her fifth double-double of the season.
“I thought defensively we did a pretty nice job this evening,” UW head coach Chad Callihan said. “This is a significant stretch for us as a team, tonight showed we need to work on some things offensively, but we will get back at it tomorrow.”
Junior Courtney Chacon was one assist shy from tying her season high. She finished with 27 against the Bengals as freshman Cori Aafedt contributed with 17. It was the fourth match out of five that Chacon has recorded 20-plus assists. For the third time this year, Chacon also led the team with two service aces.
Freshman Mattison DeGarmo tied a career-high with three kills for the UW and Kelly O’Brien saw her first action as a Cowgirl, recording her first kill in the fourth set.
UW had five digs from Austin and used an 8-0 run in the first set and to jump out to a 10-4 lead. They never looked back before taking the set. In the second frame, Austin and Waldvogel each had four digs, while Beach added four kills to guide the Cowgirls to a 2-0 set lead before intermission. Wyoming secured the victory behind four kills from Beach and eight digs from Waldvogel in the final set.
Wyoming returns to action tomorrow at 12 p.m., against McNeese State and also for the nightcap at 7 p.m., against Pepperdine.