TWIN FALLS, Idaho - The College of Southern Idaho Volleyball Team opened the Starr Corporation Invitational Thursday with a 25-12, 25-14, 25-23 win over Monroe College.
The Golden Eagles dominated the first two sets, hitting .348 and .435 compared to .000 and .065 for Monroe. But found themselves in a dogfight in the third set.
Trailing 21-19, CSI's Jojo Kruize put down a kill followed by a Morgan Weatherwax kill to tie the set up. But Monroe answered with a kill of their own to take the lead again.
An attack error by the Mustangs, followed by a block by Shiloh Peleras and Airi Miyabe and a kill by Peleras put CSI up 24-22 and forced Monroe into its final timeout. The mustangs came out of the timeout with a kill to pull within 24-23. But that would be all they would get as Peleras added another kill for the win.
Peleras, who was named NJCAA and Region 18 Player of the Week last week finished the match with 11 kills and two blocks. Miyabe added 11 kills and nine digs, while Jovana Vukcevic had 11 kills and three blocks. Weatherwax had a team high 36 assists.
The Golden Eagles, now 9-1 overall, play 16th-ranked Arizona Western at 2 p.m. and Northwest College at 7 p.m. Friday.