Your future, our focus
BY SETH ROMSA TRIBUNE SPORTS WRITER
Courtesy of the Powell Tribune
Returning home after several weeks on the road, the Northwest College volleyball team played host to the Trapper Invitational over a three-day span.
The Trappers finished unbeaten, sweeping the Carroll College JV and Colorado Northwestern Community College before defeating the Rocky Mountain JV 3-1 on Saturday.
NORTHWEST 3, CARROLL COLLEGE JV 0
(25-12, 25-17, 25-22)
Kicking off the tournament on Thursday night, the Trappers (12-1) matched up against the Fighting Saints.
Northwest got off to a strong start, jumping out to a 12-3 lead, and cruising through the first set with a 25-12 win.
In the second set, Carroll reorganized and kept things closer, but the Trappers were able to see out another 25-17 win.
The third set was a battle throughout, with the teams tied at 11 midway through.
Northwest pulled ahead 19-14 and forced a timeout by the Fighting Saints.
Out of the timeout the visitors scored three straight points, and eventually tied the match at 20.
Northwest pulled ahead at the end and finished with the 25-22 win to earn the sweep.
"It was nice to beat Carroll after losing to them three times last year," coach Scott Keister said. "They're a pretty nice team. They're young just like we are. I thought we played pretty well against them, the girls were prepared. They've been doing a lot of visualization stuff and taking it seriously."
Aidann Mottishaw led the Trappers with 10 kills just ahead of Brooke Larsen and Jordynel Anderson each with eight.
Devree Gines led with 24 assists while Holland Stowe had 11.
Sierra Kilts led with 16 digs, and Tilli Danczyk and Anderson led with two blocks each.
Kilts and Gines led with two aces each.
NORTHWEST 3, COLORADO NORTHWESTERN 0
(25-16, 25-15, 25-5)
Heading into Friday the Trappers matched up against the Spartans (1-8), a team they swept earlier in the season.
Northwest dominated the visitors early, hitting .393 in the first set compared to .034 for the visitors en route to a 25-16 win.
The second set mirrored much of the first, with the Trappers winning 25-15 despite a worse hitting percentage.
The third set allowed for the Trappers to rotate in more players, but it did not slow down the hosts as they hit .409 compared to negative .069 for the visitors in a 25-5 drubbing.
"They were missing some players, but you know, a win is a win," Keister said. "Anybody can beat anybody any day. It was nice to see them play at our level, you know, see our team play at our level and play some good volleyball."
Mottishaw led once again with 12 kills while hitting .579.
Gines led with 26 assists and three aces.
Kilts led with eight digs, while Danczyk led with four blocks.
NORTHWEST 3, ROCKY MOUNTAIN JV 1
(25-16, 20-25, 25-22, 25-16)
In the final match of the weekend the Trappers took on the Battlin' Bears, looking to end the weekend on a high note.
Northwest continued its strong play, winning the first set 25-16, before a difficult second set.
That second set started with an injury, when Gines dove to save a ball before it got into the stands, hitting her head on the edge of the bleachers.
That left a cut on her forehead that required stitches.
"It's funny, I had just told them we need to be more passionate about getting to the ball, because we had let three balls drop that first set without any effort and just kind of sat there watching it," Keister said. "Then right out of the gate, there she goes. Never have I worried about her being a hustler. She's a tough kid, so she'll be back soon."
After play resumed, Rocky carried its early lead and finished with a 25-20 win.
In the third set the two teams went back and forth throughout, as the Trappers eked out a 25-22 win to take a 2-1 lead.
The Trappers carried that momentum into the fourth set, pushing past the Battlin' Bears for a 25-16 win to finish the weekend unbeaten.
"We struggled out of the gate, didn't play great," Keister said. "We found a way to win which is good. That's what we talked about after the match was that sometimes you just have to grind one out, even though you don't play that great, which we didn't do."
Larsen led with 18 kills, just ahead of Taylor Wilson with 12.
Stowe led with 32 assists after replacing Gines who had 10 prior to the injury.
Kilts led with 19 digs, while Sadie Meier had 13 and Larsen had 11.
Anderson led with four blocks while three Trappers tied with two aces.
LONG ROAD TRIP
After the home tournament the Trappers set out on the road for their final nonconference road swing through Montana and North Dakota.
Northwest took on Miles Community College (7-8) on Wednesday night, before continuing on to Glendive, Montana, to take on Dawson Community College (3-13) tonight (Thursday) at 7 p.m.
The road trip concludes in Williston, North Dakota, with the Trappers taking on Williston State College (4-11) at 11:30 a.m. on Friday.
Keister said the Trappers will be without Gines this week but is hopeful she will return next weekend.
"I was hoping to firm up our rotation a little bit and get some more experience out there, but now Devree's out, and we'll have a whole new lineup that we're working but we're playing three teams that all play really well on their home court. That's part of the reason I scheduled this road trip, was so we got to feel what it's like to be on the road. Play a team that plays well at home and has a crowd that's a little raucous," Keister said.
Northwest will return home next weekend to begin Region IX play against Western Wyoming and Casper College on Sept. 27-28.
NORTHWEST 3, CARROLL COLLEGE JV 0
(25-12, 25-17, 25-22)
Total blocks then solo blocks in ()
Kills — Aidann Mottishaw 10, Brooke Larsen 8, Jordynel Anderson 8, Burkelle Field 4, Kennedy Oman 2, Taylor Wilson 2, Alexis Grgich 1, Devree Gines 1
Assists — Devree Gines 24, Holland Stowe 11, Brooke Larsen 1
Digs — Sierra Kilts 16, Brooke Larsen 6, Devree Gines 6, Sadie Meier 6, Aidann Mottishaw 4, Holland Stowe 2, Jordynel Anderson 1
Blocks — Tilli Danczyk 2 (2), Jordynel Anderson 2 (1), Brooke Larsen 1 (1), Taylor Wilson 1 (1), Aidann Mottishaw 1, Kennedy Oman .5, Burkelle Field .5
Aces — Sierra Kilts 2, Devree Gines 2, Brooke Larsen 1, Holland Stowe 1, Jordynel Anderson 1, Sadie Meier 1
NORTHWEST 3, COLORADO NORTHWESTERN 0
(25-16, 25-15, 25-5)
Kills — Aidann Mottishaw 12, Alexis Grgich 5, Taylor Wilson 4, Jordynel Anderson 3, Taylee Carlson 3, Brooke Larsen 2, Kennedy Oman 2, Burkelle Field 2, Ellianna Baumstarck 2, Tilli Danczyk 1, Devree Gines 1
Assists — Devree Gines 26, Holland Stowe 9, Sierra Kilts 2
Digs — Sierra Kilts 8, Devree Gines 7, Alexis Grgich 5, Brooke Larsen 3, Holland Stowe 2, Taylor Wilson 2, Burkelle Field 1, DanniKa Barfuss 1, Taylee Carlson 1
Blocks — Tilli Danczyk 4 (2), Ellianna Baumstarck 2 (1), Alexis Grgich 1.5, Aidann Mottishaw 1.5 (1), Burkelle Field 1 (1), Taylee Carlson 1, Brooke Larsen .5, Jordynel Anderson .5
Aces — Devree Gines 3, Brooke Larsen 2, Alexis Grgich 2, Holland Stowe 1, Sierra Kilts 1, Tilli Danczyk 1
NORTHWEST 3, ROCKY MOUNTAIN JV 1
(25-16, 20-25, 25-22, 25-16)
Kills — Brooke Larsen 18, Taylor Wilson 12, Jordynel Anderson 6, Kennedy Oman 5, Burkelle Field 5, Aidann Mottishaw 4, Alexis Grgich 2, Taylee Carlson 1
Assists — Holland Stowe 32, Aidann Mottishaw 11, Devree Gines 10
Digs — Sierra Kilts 19, Sadie Meier 13, Brooke Larsen 11, Holland Stowe 7, Aidann Mottishaw 5, Burkelle Field 3, Taylor Wilson 3, DanniKa Barfuss 1, Alexis Grgich 1, Devree Gines 1, Jordynel Anderson 1
Blocks — Jordynel Anderson 4 (2), Taylor Wilson 3 (2), Kennedy Oman 2 (1), Taylee Carlson 2 (1), Brooke Larsen 1, Aidann Mottishaw 1, Holland Stowe .5
Aces — Holland Stowe 2, Sierra Kilts 2, Jordynel Anderson 2, Brooke Larsen 1, Aidann Mottishaw