NAMPA, Idaho – The Northwest Nazarene Nighthawks made a strong debut on their home court for the 2025 season Thursday night, September 11, as they hosted the Hampton Inn Nighthawks Classic. In their opening match of the tournament, the Nighthawks faced off against the Colorado School of Mines and delivered a commanding performance, sweeping the Orediggers in three straight sets: 25-20, 25-20, 25-19.
Fueled by the energy of their home crowd, the Nighthawks came out swinging. A dominant front-row effort from Lily Kinloch and Maddy Hellem helped NNU jump to an early lead in the first set. Although the Orediggers fought back to make it 13-12, clutch serving from Kayci Spray and another powerful kill from Kinloch secured the first set for the Nighthawks, 25-20.
In the second set, Colorado Mines looked to bounce back and took an early lead. However, a massive block from Jenna Holm and Morgan Wilding tied the score and immediately shifted momentum. Wilding followed up with a kill on the next play, putting NNU ahead. After several lead changes, a kill by Holm gave the Nighthawks the push they needed to claim the second set, again by a score of 25-20.
The third set mirrored the intensity of the first two, with both teams trading blows offensively. The Nighthawks notched 13 kills in the final set, while the Orediggers recorded 12. Despite Colorado Mines' late push, the Nighthawks maintained control and sealed the sweep with a 25-19 win.
Offensively, Lily Kinloch led the charge with 13 kills, followed by Abby Black with 10 and Maddy Hellem with 9.
The Nighthawks return to the court on Friday, September 12, to continue tournament play. They will face Westmont at 7 p.m. in the Johnson Sports Center, looking to carry their momentum forward.
