NIC beats Salt Lake, qualifies for nationals

TWIN FALLS - Yang Yang told coach Kandice Gregorak she'd get the third-seeded North Idaho College volleyball team to nationals for a fourth straight year.

She delivered.

Yang had 20 kills, 15 digs and six blocks - including kills on the final two points of the match - as the Cardinals defeated the second-seeded Salt Lake Bruins 25-23, 23-25, 25-18, 26-24 in the semifinals of the Region 18 tournament at the College of Southern Idaho on Friday to advance to the NJCAA tournament in two weeks in West Plains, Mo.

"This is the best we've played all year," Gregorak said. "We had a great warmup and were both mentally and physically prepared. It was just a great all-around match. Everyone played good, but Yang and (Kaitlyn) Molloy were freaking amazing."

Kaitlyn Molloy had 18 kills and eight digs, Brooklyn Bradbury 23 assists, Allison Meehan 23 assists, Rosie Robinson 13 digs and Leeta Grap three aces for eighth-ranked NIC (22-4), which faces Southern Idaho today at noon for the regional title. CSI beat Snow 25-17, 22-25, 25-18, 25-16. Nationals is Nov. 15-17 at Missouri State-West Plains.

"Kaitlyn didn't have any errors and Yang fought through and had 20 kills on 50 attempts and led us in blocks," Gregorak said. "She told me earlier she'd get us to nationals and she did."

Mayra Ramirez had 20 kills and Maddie Bushman had 12 kills and 18 digs for Salt Lake (22-7), which had beaten NIC twice during Scenic West Athletic Conference play and entered the tournament ranked fifth in the nation.

"We played with a lot of emotion and put a lot more balls into play today," Gregorak said. "All season, we really haven't been winning the scrappy balls, but we finally won those long rallies and that was the difference today. Salt Lake played phenomenal, but we played with a lot more passion and our girls definitely left it all out on the court and came prepared."

Earlier, Yang and Molloy had 12 kills each as the Cardinals ousted sixth-seeded Colorado Northwestern 25-2, 25-13, 25-15 in the opening match of the tournament.

Meehan had 23 assists, Rosie Robinson 12 digs, Yang five aces and Brooklyn Bradbury six aces for NIC.

Colorado Northwestern finished 0-24.

ALL SCENIC WEST ATHLETIC CONFERENCE

FIRST TEAM

Keani Passi, Southern Idaho (Most Valuable Player); Maddie Bushman, Salt Lake; Yang Yang, North Idaho; Amy Sorensen, Snow; Mayra Ramirez, Salt Lake; Liene Mellupe, Southern Idaho; Heather Meeuwsen, Southern Idaho (Libero of the Year).

SECOND TEAM

Kaitlyn Molloy, North Idaho; Brenna DeYoung, Snow; Whitney Fieldsted, Utah State-Eastern; Cortney Godfrey, Salt Lake; Eseta Maka, Southern Idaho; Nicole Koehler, Snow; Brooklynn Bradbury, North Idaho.

HONORABLE MENTION

Shelby Lausen, North Idaho; Emily Ottinger, Southern Idaho; Kaylee Holmstead, Southern Idaho; Camry Godfrey, Salt Lake; Katie Vincent, Snow; Kathy Collette, Utah State-Eastern; Rosie Robinson, North Idaho; Jaclyn Condie, Salt Lake.

COACH OF THE YEAR - Heidi Cartisser, Southern Idaho.