Matadors Win Grand Canyon Classic with Five-Set Win over Idaho

PHOENIX, Ariz. - After a disappointing five-set loss to Omaha earlier in the day, sophomore Nicole Nevarez produced a career-high 19 kills to lead the CSUN Matadors to a five-set victory over Idaho Saturday afternoon to win the Grand Canyon Classic at Antelope Gymnasium.

The 18-25, 25-22, 18-25, 25-23, 15-7 victory improves the Matadors to 5-7 on the season while the Vandals slip to 4-8.

KEY STATISTICS
• Nevarez, who was named all-tournament, achieved her career-high in kills after hitting .245 on 49 swings to go with six digs and one block assist. Sophomore Seyvion Waggoner, who was named tournament MVP, added 17 kills on 42 attacks to hit .262 while scooping up a pair of digs. Freshman Taylor Orshoff was the third CSUN hitter in double figures with 13 kills (.290) and two digs.
• Redshirt freshman Lauryn Anderson chipped in nine kills (.500) two blocks and one ace while sophomore Lexi McLeod added a pair of aces.
• Senior setter Kamalu Makekau-Whittaker set a new career-high with 54 assists while notching her sixth career double-double by adding 14 digs. Makekau-Whittaker matched McLeod with a team-high two aces. Junior libero Makayla Bradford had 12 digs as CSUN had 56 team digs in the match.
• The Matadors hit .237 (64-24-169) in the win while the Vandals hit .276 (66-21-163).
• Avery Housley led three Idaho hitters in double figures with 16 kills.

COACH JEFF STORK SAID
"Great match and great win for us, we played well enough in the three sets that we won. We had a great fifth set, we played relaxed and I think Idaho got a little tight. Our hitters started out a little slow but really picked it up as the match went on. Nicole, Seyvion and Taylor all hit well and with a lot of volume in terms of swings."

SET 1
With the score tied 4-4 early on, the Vandals rallied behind a 4-1 run to take an 8-5 lead. An Idaho ace extended the lead to 16-10 before the Matadors engineered a 6-1 run to cut the deficit to 17-16 following an Anderson kill. CSUN was within one at 18-17 and again at 19-18 when the Vandals claimed the final six points of the set to take a 25-18 win.

SET 2
Both teams hit well in the second set as the Matadors pulled out a 25-22 win. Neither team led by more than one until a Vandal hitting error gave CSUN a two-point lead at 12-10. A co-block by Anderson and Makekau-Whittaker opened up a 15-12 lead and the Matadors maintained the lead until Housely's kill evened the set at 18-18. The set was still tied at 19-19 when a Brianna Johnson kill propelled CSUN on a 3-0 run forcing Idaho into a timeout. Two quick Vandal points forced a Matador timeout at 22-21 but CSUN, which hit .319 in the set, scored three of the final four points to take a 25-22 win.

SET 3
CSUN never led in the third frame as Idaho claimed the first three points and never trailed. The Matadors were as close as 5-4 following a Vandal hitting error and were also within 7-6 on an Anderson ace. But four quick Idaho points opened up an 11-6 lead and the Vandal lead was never less than four points the rest of the set.

SET 4
The Vandals got off to a quick start, winning eight of the first 10 points and looked to end the match in four sets. A pair of Nevarez kills capped an 8-1 Matador run the put CSUN in front 10-9. The score remained tight until the Matadors used a pair of Waggoner kills and a Makekau-Whittaker kill to open up a five-point lead at 18-13. Trailing 21-17, Idaho scored three straight to force a CSUN timeout at 21-20. A kill by Nevarez and a solo block by Johnson gave the Matadors another three-point margin before a late 3-1 run by the Vandals cut the lead to 24-23. Nevarez came through on the ensuing point as her kill forced a fifth and deciding set.

SET 5
A kill by Waggoner followed by a Vandal hitting error opened up an early 5-2 lead for the Matadors. Another Waggoner kill helped CSUN maintain a three-point cushion (6-3) before the Matadors pulled away on the strength of a 6-1 run. Leading 12-4, the CSUN lead never dipped below seven the rest of the way and Lauryn Anderson's kill ended the match giving the Matadors, who hit .750 in the set, the 15-7 win.

UP NEXT
The Matadors will travel to UC Santa Barbara for their 2019 Big West opener on Tuesday (Sept. 24) before hosting Hawai'i in their home opener Saturday (Sept, 28) at 7 p.m.

#UniteTheValley

Players Mentioned

Lauryn Anderson

Makayla Bradford

Brianna Johnson

Kamalu Makekau-Whittaker

Lexi McLeod

Nicole Nevarez

Taylor Orshoff

Seyvion Waggoner