NORTHWEST VOLLEYBALL OFF TO A SOLID START TO THE SEASON
BY LEO WOLFSON ENTERPRISE SPORTS WRITER
Courtesy of the CodyEnterprise
The Northwest College volleyball team is off to a great start this season, winning all four of its matches at the inaugural Trapper Invitational during the weekend.
Northwest is now 10-5 on the season and won their last five matches in a row, doubling their win total from last season. The team is off to its best start since 2016.
On Friday afternoon, the Lady Trappers had their closest match of the weekend in a 3-1 win over Williston State.
The first set was neck-and-neck throughout, but NWC pulled away in the end for a 25-21 win thanks to critical blocks and kills from Paige Weimer.
Northwest dominated the second set and won easily, 25-12.
In the third set the Tetons (0-8) ran off five-straight points to start and later pushed their lead to eight before winning 25-22.
But the Lady Trappers answered in the fourth set, dominating Williston 25-11 for the win.
Later that night NWC took out Dawson Community College 3-0. After winning the first two sets (25-15, 25-22), the Lady Trappers sealed the shutout with a 25-15 victory.
Shante Falslev led Northwest with 14 kills and 16 digs.
On Saturday afternoon, the Lady Trappers swept Dawson (3-8) in a rematch, once again in three sets (25-11, 25-10, 25-19).
Falslev led the team again with 11 kills, three digs and an ace. Baylee Peterson also added an ace and eight kills.
On Thursday, Northwest beat Colorado Northwestern Community College 3-0 (25-15, 25-19, 27-25).
Sayler Larson led the team with five kills, four digs and three blocks. Mollee Krum also chipped in nine kills.
Weimer finished the weekend with 81 digs and is current second in the nation with 313 digs on the season. Larson led the defense with 17 total blocks. Weimer, Jacie Walker, and Karli Steiner combined for 19 aces.
First-year coach Scott Keister has initiated a turnaround for the Lady Trappers, who went 5-22 (4-13) last season.
Before coming to Northwest last January, Keister was an assistant coach at Salt Lake Community College for seven seasons. During that time span Keister helped lead the Bruins to three appearances in the National Junior College Athletic Association Tournament.
Due to COVID-19 concerns, all NJCAA fall sports this year were moved to the winter and spring, but teams were still allowed to practice and scrimmage in the fall. The Lady Trappers went 5-1 in those fall scrimmages.
Northwest still has some work to do as far as Region IX North Division play, however, losing two of its three matches against conference opponents during fall and early season play.
The Lady Trappers will host No. 16 Eastern Wyoming (10-6) on Friday at 7 p.m. and Laramie County Community College (5-5) on Saturday at 1 p.m.