Neumann leads North Idaho College with 16 kills in loss

COEUR d’ALENE — At times on Wednesday night, the North Idaho College volleyball team looked like they could hang with the best of the best in the Northwest Athletic Conference.

Former Sandpoint standout Kayla Neumann had 16 kills and nine digs and Kaitlin Hunter had five kills and two blocks for the Cardinals in a 25-18, 24-26, 25-8, 25-20 loss to the Community Colleges of Spokane Sasquatch in a NWAC East Region match at Christianson Gym.

NIC (18-8, 5-2 NWAC) was sparked in the second set by Hunter, who had two kills and a block to help even the set at a game apiece. Spokane (25-0, 6-0) scored seven of the final eight points in the third set to regain control of the match. NIC is missing some key players with injury.

Spokane entered the night the top-ranked team in the NWAC polls.

Neumann had five kills in the fourth set to rally NIC from a 23-13 deficit.

“She comes up and bangs the ball, plays aggressive and is tough to stop,” Spokane coach Jenni Rosselli-Hull said. “But I thought we did a good job of stopping it tonight.”

NIC travels to Yakima Valley on Friday. NIC is now third in the East Region, trailing Walla Walla, which is 24-4, 5-1.