CASPER, Wyo. – The Missouri State University-West Plains Grizzly Volleyball team ended its 2014 season on a high note Saturday, Nov. 22, by winning the seventh place match at the National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA) Division I Women’s National Volleyball Championship Tournament in Casper, Wyoming. In addition, freshman middle attacker Penny Liu was named to the all-tournament team.
The Grizzlies (27-14), seeded 11th in the three-day event, defeated fourth seeded Tyler Junior College (36-7), Tyler, Texas, 25-22, 22-25, 25-22, 23-25, 15-12 in a hard-fought, five-set thriller at the Casper Events Center. They reached the seventh place match after falling to 10th seeded Arizona Western College (21-6) of Yuma 18-25, 25-19, 23-25, 23-25, Friday evening in the consolation semifinals.
Despite the loss, the Grizzlies seemed determined to finish the tournament strong, and Head Coach Paula Wiedemann couldn’t be more happy or proud of the results. “I’m so happy for this team. We proved that what we’ve been doing for the last half of the season was real. When we switched sides in that last set today, I told them it was very fitting for this team to be in this moment, and the only way we can do this is to do it together, and they did. I’m so happy for them, that they can end the season in a way that validates all the hard work, trust and love they have in everything they’ve done. They did it the right way, and I love it!,” she said Saturday following the match.
The Grizzlies and the Tyler Apaches met at the beginning of the season, and that five-set thrill ride was just a precursor to today’s match, as both teams took opportunities to battle back from large deficits to win a set. In the first, it was the Grizzlies, who came back from 6 points down. In the second, the Apaches erased an 8-point deficit. The teams continued to fight tooth and nail until the last points of the match.
“I told them in the fifth set, at the court change, we were here for a reason. They did the right things today, even in the sets they didn’t win. I’m so proud of how we came into the match ready to win it regardless of how tough it was going to be. This team has learned how to work through a lot of things throughout the course of this season, and it has been a joy to watch,” Wiedemann said.
When the Grizzlies took the court Friday against Arizona Western, the Grizzlies were still feeling the effects of their five-set battle against College of Southern Idaho, Twin Falls, the previous night, and it showed, especially in the first set. “We had not mentally or physically recovered from our match with CSI. We took that loss very hard. It was a long, grueling, physical match that took its toll,” Wiedemann explained, pointing out the Matadors were more rested after losing to defending national champion Blinn College, Brenham, Texas, Thursday evening in three straight sets.
But after losing to the Matadors, Wiedemann said she could see her team returning to their old selves, talking with each other and getting on the same page with each other. “Going into the match today, I felt really good,” Wiedemann said.
Liu led the Grizzly attack against Tyler, recording 23 kills on 41 attempts with three errors for an attacking percentage of .488. Freshman outside attacker Gabby Edmondson added 17 kills to the stat sheet, and freshman outside hitter Pulotu Manoa recorded 12. Freshman setter Susannah Kelley led the team in assists.
Defensively, Liu led the charge at the net with three blocks, followed closely behind by Manoa and redshirt freshman middle attacker Ashley Bishton with 2.5 blocks each. Both Bishton and Manoa were credited with two solo blocks. Sophomore libero Alyssa Aldag led the team in digs with 16, followed closely by Edmondson with 15 and Kelly 11. Liu, sophomore outside hitter/defensive specialist Kaili Simmons and sophomore setter/outside attacker Brianna Zebert each recorded a service ace, and Liu led the team in most points earned with 26.
Tournament No. 2 seed Blinn College took home its third championship in four years, defeating fifth seeded Miami Dade College, Miami, Florida, for the title. Third place went to third seeded CSI, which defeated ninth seeded Northwest College, Powell, Wyoming, and fifth place went to first seeded Iowa Western Community College, Council Bluffs, which defeated Arizona Western. Ninth place went to sixth seed Salt Lake Community College, Salt Lake City, Utah, which beat 12th seed Polk State College, Winter Have, Florida. All matches took place Saturday.
Blinn’s Rebecca Reeve was named the tournament’s most valuable player, and Blinn’s head coach, Erin Mellinger, received coach of the tournament honors. Other all-tournament team honorees included Maria del mar Guzman Franco of Arizona Western; Alyssa Lamont and Abolanie Onipede, both of Blinn; Aly Dawson, Iowa Western; Silvia Galeano and Katie Hogan, both of Miami Dade; Vera Horstmann, Northwest; Carol Grasso, Salt Lake; Katarina Kojic and Natasa Savovic, both of CSI; and Morgan Lewis, Tyler.
The Grizzlies will return to West Plains Monday, just in time to celebrate the Thanksgiving Day holiday, and when they do, they will know they’ve accomplished much as a team. “I’m so happy and proud of these guys. They have done things as a group through the course of the year and have understood the dynamics that have to be in place to play at this level. When you have this many freshmen on a team, it can be quite difficult, but they trusted (Assistant Coach) Bri (Walsh) and I, and they trusted each other. Our motto was #GrizzlyStrong, and we believed in the strength we have together. They’ve really put so many great things together this season, and I’m truly happy for them.”
For more information about the Grizzly Volleyball team, visit the team’s website at http://wp.missouristate.edu/grizzly/vb/. For more information about the national tournament, including complete results, visit www.njcaa.org or http://njcaacasper.net/.