UPLAND, IN – Every Warrior stepped up. From seniors to freshmen, LC State Volleyball put together a complete match to send the program to Sioux City for the first time in 14 years with a 3-1 victory over 22nd-seeded Taylor (Ind.) on the road. After a slow first set, the Warrior women returned to midseason form in their 15-25, 25-18, 25-22, 25-21 win. The Warriors will return to Sioux City for the first time since 2011 to compete at the final site of the 2025 NAIA Women’s Volleyball Championship.
Senior Abby Beaton tallied a career high 14 kills while freshman Michaela Romine stepped in to just the third match of her career to fill in some big shoes when needed most. The LC State defense got the job done with 11 total blocks and Warrior servers dealt 10 aces to send the team to Sioux City, Iowa.
“I can’t speak more highly of our senior class who has poured their heart and souls into their experience,” coach Katie Palmer said. “They lead with poise and passion. You can see it in Abby Beaton’s performance as well as Esther Kaililiponi coming in and running a fluid offense. Juliana Forgach Aguilar experienced some serious adversity but then seeing her lead on the sideline speaks loudly of her character and love for her teammates. We expect all three of them to do the same in Sioux City as we take on an impressive field of opponents.”
HOW IT HAPPENED
Juliauna Forgach Aguilar tallied the first kill of the match for LC State after two by the Trojans to open the set and a solo block by Karissa Lindner put the Warriors in front 3-2. TU struck for a run of four to pull ahead 9-4. Taylor Boyce and Beaton got on the board with kills, but Taylor stretched the margin to 16-7.
LC State battled back with an ace by Ella Stosich and block by Forgach Aguilar and Lindner, and a kill by Forgach Aguilar had the difference at 18-12. The duo in the front put up another block before TU surged for a 21-13 lead en route to taking the frame 25-15.
Forgach Aguilar added two kills to get the LC State offense going in the second set and a pair by Boyce knotted the score 5-5 before a swing by Beaton gave the Warriors their first lead in the frame at 6-5. Swings by Beaton and Forgach Aguilar cut the deficit to 12-11, and more terminations by Lindner, Forgach Aguilar and Boyce tied things up 15-15. LC State took a 16-15 lead on a block by Lindner and Teagan Scott.
Hannah Dotson dealt an ace before a kill by Esther Kailiponi sparked a set-closing run of seven. Beaton and Boyce added kills and Ashlyn Watt dealt an ace in the span for a 25-18 set win.
LC State started with the hot hand in set three with kills by Boyce and Forgach Aguilar and an ace by Makenzie Stout. A block by Jordynn Albright and kill by Lindner made it 5-2 Warriors, but Taylor answered to take an 8-7 lead. Back-to-back swings by Boyce and Mikale Roy had the Warriors in front 10-8 before Taylor put together small runs to take a 16-13 advantage.
Freshmen Albright and Michaela Romine each found the floor with swings and a kill by libero Stosich cut the difference to 17-16. Kills by Beaton and Boyce started a three-point run that was capped by an ace by Scott to tie the frame 20-20. Beaton notched a kill before a block with Albright to keep things tied. The senior duo of Forgach Aguilar and Beaton tallied back-to-back kills to cap the five-point swing and take the set 25-22.
Stout opened the fourth set with an ace before Taylor went on a 4-0 run. Romine swung the momentum back to the Warriors with a kill and two straight aces by Stosich tied things up 4-4. After a swing by Romine, a kill by Lindner kickstarted an 8-0 run that featured kills by Beaton and Roy as well as two aces by Watt to give LC State a 15-8 margin.
Beaton and Romine continued the offensive attack for the Warriors and blocks by Lindner, Romine and Scott moved the needle to a 22-17 lead. Boyce tallied a kill at 23-18, and a block by Albright and Boyce put the match away with a 25-21 victory.
STAT RECAP
Beaton led LC State with a career high 14 kills on a .429 attack percentage and Boyce added 11. Forgach Aguilar tallied nine wills with seven digs and three blocks before her night was cut short. Kailiponi stepped in with 10 assists in clutch moments.
Scott dished out 29 assists with seven digs and four blocks. Stosich led the back row with 16 digs and dealt three service aces to match Watt for the team high.
Lindner denied Taylor seven times at the net, Kadence Moore had 11 digs and Dotson collected 10.
Romine tallied five kills in just her third match with an attack percentage of .556. She did not commit an attack error and assisted on a block. Fellow first-year player and Lewiston native Albright assisted on three blocks, including the match winner.
The Warriors out served the Trojans with 10 service aces and had the edge defensively in digs (76-74) and blocks (11-8).
UP NEXT
LC State will head to Sioux City, Iowa, for the 2025 NAIA Women’s Volleyball Championship at the Tyson Events Center. The Warriors open pool play on Dec. 3 and the pools will be announced on Sunday, Nov. 23 at 11 a.m. PT.
Stay up to date with all things Warrior Athletics at lcwarriors.com and on social media @LCWarriors.
