BU earns first-ever NSAA Tournament title with sweep over Trojans
In the final year of the North Star Athletic Association, the top-seeded and fifth-ranked Bellevue University volleyball squad captured its first-ever NSAA Tournament title with a 3-0 (25-15, 25-19, 25-23) sweep over third-seeded Dakota State University Saturday afternoon in the Gordon Lozier Athletic Center.
| Final | 1 | 2 | 3 | T |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
|
15 | 19 | 23 | 0 |
|
|
25 | 25 | 25 | 3 |
Team Stats
(RV) Dakota State
| Game Statistics | (RV) Dakota State | #5 Bellevue |
|---|---|---|
| Hitting % | .145 | .298 |
| Blocks | 6.0 | 4.0 |
| Digs | 53 | 57 |
| Aces | 0 | 4 |
BELLEVUE, Neb. -- In the final year of the North Star Athletic Association, the top-seeded and fifth-ranked Bellevue University volleyball squad captured its first-ever NSAA Volleyball Tournament title with a 3-0 (25-15, 25-19, 25-23) sweep over third-seeded Dakota State University Saturday afternoon in the Gordon Lozier Athletic Center.
The Bruins (28-3) earned the league's automatic bid into the NAIA Volleyball National Championship, which will begin with Opening Round matches next Saturday, Nov. 23, at campus sites. The Selection Show for the NAIA Volleyball National Championship will take place on Monday, Nov. 18, at noon (CT).
The Trojans (18-12), who were receiving votes in the latest NAIA Top 25 Coaches' Poll, will await word of their post-season fate when the qualifiers are announced on Monday.
Kealy Kiviniemi led the Bruins with 14 kills on .344 hitting while adding two blocks. Sidney Sledge hit .500 with 10 kills on 18 swings. Outsides Kenzie Polk and Eve Fountain chipped in with nine kills apiece.
Taylan Keefer anchored the BU defense with 10 digs as BU held the Trojans to a .145 hitting percentage.
Mila Aiwohi (23) and Victoria Runyan (19) combined for 42 assists while directing the Bruin offense to a .298 hitting efficiency.
Sydney Schell paced the Trojans with 11 kills and 10 digs. Kate VanRooyan led all players with 12 digs.
The Bruins raced out to a 9-3 lead in the opening set as DSU committed four early hitting errors. A five-point serving run by Audrey Sandfort capped by a kill from Fleischman, gave BU a double-digit lead at 17-7. A kill by Sledge and a Trojan attacking error cemented the 25-15 victory. Paced by four kills apiece from Sledge and Fleischman, BU outhit the Trojans, .382 to .086 in the opener.
After the Bruins built an early 6-2 advantage in the second, DSU went on a 4-1 run sparked by a pair of kills from Schell to pull to within one point at 7-6. The Bruins countered with a 6-1 spurt sparked by back-to-back kills from Kiviniemi to push the margin to six points at 13-7. DSU answered with a 4-1 run to make it a two-point contest at 14-12. Bellevue quickly restored order as Runyan went on a 4-0 serving run to expand the lead to 19-13. The Trojans never got closer than four points in the remainder of the set as BU earned the 25-19 victory.
After a kill by Schell tied the third frame at 5-all, the Bruins went on a 9-4 run capped by kills from Sledge and Fountain to gain a 14-9 advantage. DSU battled back with a 4-0 run highlighted by a kill from Tristyn Marsas and a block by Hannah Evans and Schell on Kiviniemi to pull to within one point at 15-14. After a kill by Fountain and a Trojan attacking error gave BU a 23-20 lead, DSU countered with a block by Maras and Macey Wathen a kill by Maras to make it a one-point contest at 23-22. The teams traded side-outs, and a kill by Kiviniemi gave BU the title with the 25-23 victory.
