A strong opening performance at home last Thursday against Miles Community College earned the Northwest College volleyball team a 1-0 start to the season, during a week which also included the chance Friday to compete against former Trapper alumni.

NORTHWEST 3, MILES CC 0

(25-20, 25-23, 25-15)

Starting out on their home court the Trappers (1-0) hoped to start on a high note against the Pioneers (2-1).

Early on the Trappers got their feet under them, holding a 11-6 lead and pushing it out to 18-13 to force a timeout by the Pioneers.

Northwest saw out the first set, winning 25-20 despite a number of attacking errors with 10 in the set and 13 kills on 27 attempts, hitting .111 compared to minus .143 for Miles.

A fast start in the second set quickly vanished, with the Pioneers tying the match at six and forcing a timeout by the Trappers.

Miles carried that momentum and carried a multiple point lead, before the Trappers pulled back ahead up 15-13 and forced a timeout by the visitors.

Northwest forged ahead, serving for the set up 24-21 before two straight Pioneers points made it a one point margin and forced Northwest’s second timeout.

The Trappers finished off the set and escaped with a 25-23 win to take a 2-0 lead.

Northwest improved its hitting percentage to .208 on 17 kills to outlast the .111 hitting percentage of Miles with nine kills.

Coach Scott Keister attributed the Trappers’ kills in the match to the strong passing by the team.

“I thought we passed really well,” he said. “That opened up a lot of options for us offensively which they just couldn’t defend.”

A faster start in the third set helped Northwest build a 5-2 lead and force an early timeout.

The Trappers built on that early lead and cruised in the final set, pulling away for a 25-15 win and completing the sweep.

Northwest hit .333 in the set behind 13 kills compared to nine by Miles on a .231 percentage.

The Trappers were led by Aidann Mottishaw, who finished with 14 kills on a hitting percentage of .476.

“Aidann just went off on that right side, which was nice to see a freshman step up,” Keister said. “I was pretty pleased with how the freshmen played in the first match.”

Just behind Mottishaw was Brooke Larsen with eight kilss, Burkelle Field with seven and Jordynel Anderson with five.

Northwest also had a strong amount of assists from three players, as Devree Gines led with 24, Mottishaw had 14 and libero Sierra Kilts had four. Keister noted how much of a luxury it is to have three players together at nearly all times with setting abilities.

“It’s a beautiful thing,” Keister said. “Sierra’s even thinking like a setter which is kind of nice. Even throughout the match she was asking me questions here and there so yeah, the combination of increased volleyball talent with the freshmen along with volleyball IQ of the sophomores, you know it meshed together very well.”

Kilts led with nine digs, Field had eight and Mottishaw had five.

Tilly Danczyk had two blocks to lead the Trappers, while Kilts led with two service aces, one area Keister feels the Trappers need improvement.

“The first two sets we had 12 serving errors, which we shouldn’t have 12 in a whole match even if there’s five sets,” Keister said. “I think the third set we got a little better … I think they were rushing their serves a little bit. As soon as the official blew her whistle they were serving instead of taking their time and going through a similar routine to, you know, like a free throw in basketball — there’s a routine that you go through and you have eight seconds to serve and use it all if you need to.”

ALUMNI GAME

After the win Thursday the Trappers had one more opportunity to compete Friday, taking on a team of former Trappers in an alumni scrimmage.

There were players from the beginning of Keister’s time as coach in the 2020 season all the way back to the 1989-90 team.

“That was cool,” Keister said. “From almost every era it seemed like because we had seven or eight from my time here, so the Covid years, and then we had one from the early 2000s and then there was actually four here from that 1989-90 team that took third in the nation. Two of them played and two of them just watched.”

A close first set gave the Trapper alum hopes, but the current Trappers held on and went on to win all five sets in the exhibition match.

Keister said the match was a good way to test out a bunch of lineups, and is hopeful that it will become a tradition on Paint the Town Red weekend in the future.

“I hope so, we’re hoping to keep it on the same weekend with Paint the Town Red and the golf tournament,” Keister said. “Just make it a whole weekend with the whole idea of, hopefully people would come and play in the match and then stick around for the weekend and enjoy the festivities. We’re planning on it next year too.”

GILLETTE TOURNAMENT

Northwest now heads to Gillette this weekend to take part in a tournament at Gillette College.

The Trappers will take on Colorado Northwestern CC (0-0) at 7 p.m. Thursday.

Northwest then takes on Miles once again at 2 p.m. on Friday.

Two matches on Saturday will come against Dakota College at Bottineau (0-0) at noon followed by a match against Dawson CC (0-3) at 2 p.m.

Before heading to Gillette, Keister noted the Trappers are working on serving and receiving, while also continuing to figure out the best rotation.

“Yesterday (Monday) all we did was serve and pass. Today (Tuesday) half of our practice was serve and pass. Just really trying to make sure we’re good there because if we’re not good there then the guns that we have really kind of fade into the background,” Keister said. “Then working our lineup, trying to solidify it a little bit more, get them a little more experience, learn the rotations a little bit more, what their options are, all that.”

NORTHWEST 3, MILES CC 0

Solo blocks in ()

Kills — Aidann Mottishaw 14, Brooke Larsen 8, Burkelle Field 7, Jordynel Anderson 5, Kennedy Oman 3, Ellianna Baumstarck 2, Tilli Danczyk 2, Taylor Wilson 1, Devree Gines 1

Assists — Devree Gines 24, Aidann Mottishaw 14, Sierra Kilts 4, Holland Stowe 1

Digs — Sierra Kilts 9, Burkelle Field 8, Aidann Mottishaw 5, Brooke Larsen 4, Devree Gines 4, Kennedy Oman 2, DanniKa Barfuss 2, Tilli Danczyk 2, Jordynel Anderson 1

Blocks — Tilli Danczyk 2 (1), Kennedy Oman 1, Burkelle Field 1 (1), Jordynel Anderson .5, Aidann Mottishaw .5

Service Aces — Sierra Kilts 2, Burkelle Field 1, Devree Gines 1, Aidann Mottishaw 1