Northern Colorado volleyball pulls off reverse sweep, advances to Big Sky title game

Good teams take leads. Great teams respond with reverse sweeps to earn a spot in the title game after being down 2-0, at least according to the University of Northern Colorado

No. 1 UNC (21-8, 13-3 Big Sky) defeated No. 4 Sacramento State (15-15, 10-6 Big Sky) in a huge comeback, winning the final three sets of its semifinal match on Friday (21-25, 16-25, 25-15, 25-18, 15-11).

Multiple five set matches went in favor of the opposition earlier this season for the Bears. Not this time. Instead, a slightly different rotation helped the team get there, with two freshmen stepping into big roles.

Freshman Brynn Reines replaced graduate student Kaile Jo Ince. Despite Ince’s best efforts, the Hornets set their sights on the fifth year senior and blocked four of her kill attempts.

Reines joined the rotation and recorded 10 kills – including the game winner – one ace, one assist and one block. She did all of it on a .444 hitting percentage.

Then, fellow rookie Mia Liddiard came in as a serving sub – usually where Reines plays – and contributed some strong serves.

Junior Syd Cole added seven kills to her 44 assists. Cole’s kills often come via dump, but she added a few swings from the outside, too.

Unsurprisingly, seniors Makenzie Harris and Rachel Hickman led the team in kills. Harris finished with 12 kills, 11 digs and three assists. Hickman topped the team with 16 kills, then added two blocks.

UNC struggled from the service line early, giving up five errors in the first frame. It also committed several net violations, giving Sac State free points.

In the second set, the Hornets went on a 9-0 run to take a 13-6 lead. Just a few plays later, Sacramento State put together a 5-0 run, taking a 10-point lead. The Bears committed six attack errors, two service errors and three reception errors.

Sac State had total control and was in position for an upset. Then UNC came storming back.

Northern Colorado hit above .300 in sets three and four, and nearly made it in set five. Even when the Hornets tried to make a run, UNC kept at it. The team finished with a .290 attack percentage for the entire match.

The Bears also finished with nine service aces to 10 errors. They had five errors and just one ace in the first.

Ince and senior Michaela Boon recorded three aces each. Junior Bronwyn Timperley did not record an ace, but her hard hits from the line proved significant down the stretch.

UNC coach Lyndsey Oates talked all season about her team being experienced and the importance of staying tough. Championship teams might get down, but they always respond. That described her squad against the Hornets.

Sacramento State got up and several Hornets made impressive plays. That didn’t stop the Bears from extending their season. They’re up to 13 straight wins and a chance for a second consecutive title.

UNC will play second-seeded Portland State at 7 p.m. Saturday. PSU beat No. 6 Montana State, 3-1, in Friday’s other semifinal match.

UNC swept PSU both times the teams met in the regular season.