LEWISTON, ID – The fans were prepared for Juliauna Forgach Aguilar’s 1000th career kill on Friday and held up signs to mark the occasion as the senior became the 10th LC State Warrior to achieve the feat. Forgach Aguilar set the program’s three-set kill record in the process (23) to help LC State Volleyball sweep Arizona Christian 3-0 (25-20, 27-25, 25-22) in the Hells Canyon Grand Invitational.
Forgach Aguilar’s family made the trip from Morenci, Ariz., this weekend to watch the senior make Warrior history. The Warrior Zone joined in on the fun with celebratory posters as she crept closer to the mark. The P1FCU Activity Center exploded with energy as she tallied number 1000.
“It was definitely surreal,” Forgach Aguilar said. “Not a lot of people get the opportunity to have their family here, especially when they live far away. I am really happy I was able to experience this with them.”
The Warriors improved to 2-0 on the season with their second consecutive sweep. With another big match this weekend in No. 11 Montana Western, LC State seems to be firing on all cylinders.
“We feel great as team right now,” Forgach Aguilar explained. “Our team chemistry is on point, we are meshing really well, and I am really excited to go into tomorrow’s match with them.”
HOW IT HAPPENED
A kill by Forgach Aguilar started the match before another big swing by the senior had the early lead at 3-1. Taylor Boyce joined on the offensive attack to keep the Warriors in front by a slim 4-3 margin. The Warriors rattled off five straight points with two kills and a block by Karissa Lindner and an ace by Makenzie Stout to jump ahead 10-5.
Back-to-back kills by Forgach Aguilar forced ACU into a timeout and a kill by Teagan Scott had the margin at 13-9. A pair of blocks by Alba Carpena and Helena Stewart capped a 4-0 run for a 17-10 advantage before three kills by Boyce and one by Lindner made it 21-13. Swings by Forgach Aguilar, Jordynn Albright and Boyce carried the set to its 25-20 final score.
Forgach Aguilar notched three straight kills for a 4-2 lead in the second frame. The Firestorm rallied to surge ahead 7-4, but terminations by Abby Beaton, Forgach Aguilar and Boyce cut the difference to two, 9-7. Lindner was a wall at the net with a solo block and another assisted by Carpena to knot the set 9-9.
An ace by Stout gave LC State the lead at 13-12 and three tallies by Forgach Aguilar made it 18-14. Boyce added two kills before a run by ACU had LC State behind 24-23. A kill from Lindner and ace by Ella Stosich gave the Warriors a set-point edge at 25-24 before the Firestorm tied things up 25-25. A kill by Forgach Aguilar and ace by Esther Kailiponi ended the frame 27-25 for a two-set advantage.
After Arizona Christian scored the first point of the third set, Forgach Aguilar notched back-to-back kills in response. The Firestorm again pulled ahead 7-4 before kills by Boyce and Lindner evened the score 7-7. Three swings by Forgach Aguilar put the Warriors in front 12-11 and a block by Carpena and Lindner made it 14-12.
Kills by Carpena and Forgach Aguilar and an ace by Stosich kept the Warriors in front, and back-to-back kills by setters Scott and Kailiponi made it 20-18. Forgach Aguilar, Beaton and Boyce combined for three straight kills before swings by Beaton and Carpena ended the contest 25-22.
STAT RECAP
Forgach Aguilar set LC State Volleyball’s three-set kill record with a match-high 23 on a .419 attack percentage. She now has 1002 kills in her career. Boyce added 11 kills at a clip of .333 as the Warriors hit .245 as a team.
Scott dished out a career-best 34 assists and Stosich collected a career-high 14 digs. Stout led the Warriors with three service aces and Lindner totaled five blocks. LC State held ACU to a .185 attack percentage.
