Warriors win wild five-game thriller over No. 8 Westminster

9-21-07

LEWISTON, Idaho – After losing the opening game by 10 points and having its most powerful hitter reduced to defensive duty because of an injury, things did not look good for the Lewis-Clark State College women’s volleyball team on Friday night against No. 8-ranked Westminster. 

The Warriors, however, didn’t get that message. Behind strong offensive play from Anile Clement, Marie Balmer and Lindsay Scott, the Warriors knocked off Frontier Conference favorite Westminster 20-30, 30-28, 30-27, 27-30, 15-10 before a boisterous LCSC Activity Center crowd. 

The win was the second of the season for LCSC over an NAIA ranked team. Earlier this year, LCSC swept Great Falls in three games. Both Great Falls and Westminster were picked as the co-favorites to win the conference title this year after Great Falls won the regular season title last year, while Westminster won the conference tournament title. LCSC was picked to finish sixth. 

What was even more impressive is the Warriors accomplished Friday’s feat without the hitting of junior Cintia Alessi, who suffered an abdomen injury in practice on Thursday. After attempting a couple of kills in the first game, Alessi was holding her side, unable to hit, so she wound up playing in the back row and as the team’s libero in the final three games. She finished with 17 digs. 

The Warriors, 9-2 overall and 3-0 in league play, are off to the program’s best start since 2001. The nine victories already eclipses last year’s win total of eight and leaves it only three short of tying the total wins in the program over the last two years. 

“We’re having way too much fun,” says Balmer (shown in the photo on the right -- #13), a senior who sparked the Warriors with 12 kills, including some in key moments of the final two games. “Winning feels so good. I go home with a smile on my face and come to practice ready to go.” 

The Warriors didn’t look ready at the start Friday when Westminster, 9-5 overall and 2-1 in conference play, rolled to the first-game win. LCSC got off to a better start in the second game with a 5-1 lead, and although the Griffins would later grab a 19-18 advantage, LCSC used some strong blocks from Brittney Kubik and Balmer to forge a 29-25 lead and hang on to even the match. 

The next two games were back-and-forth. LCSC led 16-8 in the third game, but Westminster rallied to tie the match at 23-all. The Griffins then used the 1-2 punch of Angie Johnson, who had a match-high 26 kills, and Alison Culp, who added 16 kills, to claim the third game. 

Neither team led by more than three points in the fourth game, which featured 10 ties, the last coming at 26-26. Balmer provided LCSC with some quick energy with two kills and a block to help the Warriors prevail. 

In the final game, the two teams exchanged the first eight points, but the tie at 4-4 was the fourth and final tie. LCSC scored the next two points, and although Westminster cut the lead to one point on five occasions, the Warriors front line responded each time. Clemente had two of her team-leading 16 kills down the stretch and LCSC scored the last three points to close out the match. 

“I just thought it was a great team effort,” LCSC first-year coach Jen Greeny said. “The whole team stepped up and contributed. 

“This is just one match and for us, we say its just another ring on the ladder we’re climbing, but I do think it is a huge step for this program.” 

It’s the first time LCSC has played a five-set match this season. 

“In my mind, I thought we got demolished in the first game so it was great to see us respond like this,” Greeny said. “I think that says a lot about these girls.” 

Scott added 12 kills and 18 digs, and freshman Kim Fong of Lewiston, seeing her first extended action of the season, responded with team highs of 34 assists and 22 digs. Fellow freshman Katie Hinrichs added 20 digs, while Kubik added six kills and seven blocks. LCSC outblocked Westminster 20-12 in the match. 

“We really wanted to win this match,” Balmer said. 

LCSC will hit the road for the first time in conference play next week when it plays Rocky Mountain on Thursday night, and then Carroll on the following night.