Vandals Perk Up, Capture Connecticut Tournament

After dropping the first game, the University of Idaho volleyball team took care of University of Connecticut 10-15, 15-0, 15-7, 15-9 to win the Connecticut Tournament Saturday at Storrs, Conn.

Idaho junior middle blocker Jessica Moore was named the tournament’s Most Valuable Player. She had finished with 14 kills, six digs, four service aces and a .344 attack percentage against UConn.

“This is the best we’ve played all year,” said Idaho’s first-year coach Carl Ferreira, whose team improved to 6-6. “I’ve been begging for chemistry. I think the older players are more responsible. Those are the players I’ve challenged and they’re the ones who responded.”

The 15-0 second game marked the first time the Vandals had held an opponent scoreless since 1995 and only the second time in seven seasons.

Senior middle blocker Jeri Hymas tied Moore with a team-high 14 kills and had a .286 attack percentage. Senior outside hitter Kyle Leonard added nine kills.

Beth Craig and Leonard also earned all-tournament honors.

Anna Reznicek, Idaho’s 6-foot-2 sophomore setter, contributed with eight kills, 35 assists, 13 digs and a .538 attack percentage.

In a Saturday morning match, Idaho swept Harvard 15-5, 15-5, 15-10.

Moore had a match-high 10 kills along with a season-best .625 attack percentage. Leonard had a careerbest .600 mark along with six block assists.

Idaho opens Big West Conference play Friday at Nevada and plays Sunday at Utah State.

At Pocatello, Idaho, Kim Exner finished with 20 kills and a .286 attack percentage as Eastern Washington finished its first weekend of Big Sky Conference play with a 10-15, 15-9, 15-9, 15-5 triumph over Idaho State.

Lora Botha added 16 kills while hitting .324 for the Eagles. Botha and Jessica Clish each had nine of Eastern’s 21 blocks. Teammates Kim Maxwell totaled 55 assists.

The win improved the Eagles to 8-2 overall, 2-0 in conference matches. The Bengals dropped to 3-10, 0-2.

The match seemed to have the makings off an upset after ISU came out and won the first game, landing 23 kills to Eastern’s 18.

The Bengals hit .281 in the first game, but tailed off to .064, .000 and .026. Eastern’s hitting improved throughout the match. The Eagles finished with a .217 percent to ISU’s .108.

Kadie Leonhardt led the Bengals with 15 kills.

Eastern plays its first Big Sky Conference home matches this week, meeting Montana on Thursday and first-place Montana State on Saturday.

Ricks College stunned four-time NJCAA national champion College of Southern Idaho 17-16, 15-13, 15-11 in the championship game of the Community Colleges of Spokane Inland Northwest Communications Invitational.

The Vikings, 7-0 in the two-day tournament, were led by tournament MVP Mari Burningham and Erin Heers, who also was voted to the all-tournament team.

Host team CCS (3-4 in the tournament, 7-8 overall) lost to Lewis & Clark College in the fourth-place game 15-13, 15-11. Sasquatch setter JoEne Heimbigner, named to the all-tourney team, totaled 47 assists in three games.

North Idaho College finished sixth among the nine teams after defeating Olympic 15-7, 15-3 in a consolation game.

, DataTimes