LCSC volleyball team claims trip to nationals with Region I title

11-17-07

SPOKANE – The journey continues for the Lewis-Clark State College women’s volleyball team. 

Led by a strong defensive effort that featured 94 digs in three games, the Warriors captured the NAIA Region I Tournament championship and a berth in the national tournament by defeating Westminster 30-24, 35-33, 30-14 in the title match at the Spokane ValleyHub on Saturday afternoon. 

It marks the first time LCSC has won the Frontier Conference regular season and tournament titles, along with the Region I tournament title, since 1999. Even then, both the conference and Region I tournaments were played in Lewiston. 

This year’s LCSC team, under first-year coach Jennifer Greeny, won both tournament titles on the road. All of this coming after the team was picked to finish sixth in the conference standings and had won a total of 21 matches over the last three seasons. 

“I really don’t think anyone expected to us to be where we are,” Greeny said. “But both Burdette (Greeny, her husband and assistant coach) and I came here without worrying about the past.” 

The Warriors, 25-6 overall and ranked No. 20 in the NAIA, defeated Westminster for the fourth time this season to claim the time. The two teams also met for the Frontier Conference title last weekend in Billings. 

“We looked good today and we were playing a very good Westminster team,” Greeny said. “They are an excellent team but we really played steady and everyone contributed.”

The Warriors broke open a tight first game with six straight points down the stretch. With the game tied at 23-23, two hitting errors by Westminster gave LCSC some daylight and Julie Maciboba added a service ace, while kills by Lisa Davis, Marie Balmer, and Anile Clemente put LCSC ahead 29-23. After a point by Westminster, Brittney Kubik’s kill gave the Warriors the first game. 

LCSC trailed early in the second game, but from when the match was tied at 11 until LCSC went up 23-21, neither team led by more than a point. LCSC held the lead and served for the game twice, but then Westminster eventually took a 31-30 lead and also had two serves for the win, but couldn’t put it away. Tied at 33, Cintia Alessi’s kill gave LCSC a one-point lead and then a service ace by Davis closed out the game. 

In the third game, LCSC trailed 3-2, but scored eight straight points for a 10-3 lead. Westminster could get no closer than six the rest of the way and LCSC outscored the Griffiths 11-3 down the stretch for the win. 

Greeny said her team was determined and played through some adversity. There was some confusion as to whether the region would receive an at-large berth to nationals, meaning both teams playing in the title match would qualify for nationals. It was announced that way at the tournament on Friday, but then the status changed on Saturday. There are only two at-large berths remaining and they will be announced Sunday night. It is unknown if Westminster will receive either berth. 

“I think we just knew we couldn’t trust the information we were hearing so we changed our attitude that this was a do-or-die situation,” Greeny said. “We performed well under pressure.” 

The Warriors played the entire tournament under pressure. LCSC lost to Great Falls in the opening round of pool play and had to win its next four matches to claim the title. Along the way, LCSC defeated No. 8-ranked College of Idaho and No. 10-ranked Southern Oregon. Both teams defeated LCSC during the regular season. 

“I think our first match was a little bit of a let down, but we came back,” Greeny said. “We played with a sense of urgency. We came out ready to play and we wanted it.” 

Lindsay Scott led LCSC with 32 digs, while Alessi added 24 and Katie Hinrichs added 14. Greeny commended all three for leading the Warrior defense. Kubik finished with three of the team’s seven blocks. 

Clemente, who was named the conference’s co-Player of the Year earlier in the week, led the Warrior offense with 15 kills, while Kubik and Alessi added 10 each. Dana Christiansen added seven kills. Davis had 29 assists and two service aces, while Mindy Meyer added 19 assists. Julie Maciboba had two service aces. 

Although the 20-team field for the national tournament, which runs Nov. 28-Dec. 1 at Columbia University in Columbia, Mo., will be announced on Sunday, the pool play pairings won’t be set until Monday. 

LCSC has played in seven previous national tournaments – 1988, 1989, 1994, and 1996-99.