NIC defeats L-C State

Freshman Leeta Grap had six kills and sophomore Brooklynn Bradbury 11 assists as the No. 1 North Idaho College Cardinals beat the NAIA Lewis-Clark State (LCSC) Warriors 25-17, 25-23, 25-23 in a nonconference match at Christianson Gym on Tuesday night.

NIC had to battle during the second match as LCSC took an 8-5 lead, but NIC quickly came back with a kill by freshman Marissa Verduci and two blocks by sophomore Yang Yang. LCSC went back up as much as 18-12, but NIC held on to win the set 25-23. The third set was also close as it was tied at 21-21 late, but NIC finished with a 25-23 win.

“I think of us from the first week of preseason up to the fourth week of preseason and we are a different team,” head coach Kandice Gregorak said. “All the teams in our conference are. Because we are mostly freshmen there will be continual room for improvement.”

Yang had eight blocks and five kills. Sophomore Kaitlyn Molloy from Graham, Wash. dove for 10 digs.

Verduci had five kills and freshman HayleeMae Dennis four kills. Sophomore Shelby Lausen followed with three kills.

“Last year there were more sophomores so we had a lot more leadership on the team,” Lausen said. “It took us all a while to buy into everything, but now the team chemistry is great. We are like family.”

NIC hosts Salt Lake Community College Thursday, September 20 at 7 p.m. for the Lady Cardinals’ first conference match.

“I think we are ready for Salt Lake because we really have been playing together which is great,” Dennis said. “You have to have all six players connected and communicating on the court like they’re one in order to win games.”