WEST PLAINS, Mo. – The Missouri State University-West Plains Grizzly Volleyball team will play for ninth place Saturday, Nov. 17, at the National Junior College Athletics Association (NJCAA) Division I Women’s National Volleyball Championship Tournament taking place at the West Plains Civic Center in West Plains, Mo.

The ninth seeded Grizzlies (27-10) defeated No. 12 Redlands Community College (24-11), El Reno, Okla., 21-25, 25-18, 25-21, 25-20 and will play No. 14 Temple College (24-18), Temple, Texas, at 10 a.m. Saturday.  Temple defeated No. 10 Hutchinson Community College (28-10), Hutchinson, Kan., in a five-game thriller, 25-19, 18-25, 25-19, 21-25, 15-13, to advance to the ninth place game.

“This was a great way to rebound after yesterday,” Grizzly Volleyball Head Coach Paula Wiedemann said, referring to her team’s first-round loss in the tournament.  “It was definitely a good feeling to come back and play relaxed and put good things together.  Today, our presence on the court was bigger, and the girls’ personalities were a lot different.  They didn’t put pressure on themselves, they just played.”

Redlands’ Cougars proved to be a formidable opponent, taking the first game by fending off several late charges by the Grizzlies.  They also took brief leads in all three games the Grizzlies won.

“They had to beat Seminole State College (a team the Grizzlies played six times this past season) in their regional finals and Arizona Western College of Yuma in the district playoff, which they won in four games, to get here, so we knew they would be tough,” Wiedemann pointed out.  “But we just took control tonight.  We set our blocks better and dug the ball better.”

As a team, the Grizzlies averaged 13 kills, 18 digs and nearly four blocks per game.  Freshman outside attacker Helena Peric led the team in kills with 16, followed by sophomore middle attacker Magda Zietek with 12.  Sophomore right side attacker Candyce Alexander and sophomore outside attacker Taylor Swayzer each had eight, and freshman middle attacker Torika Baleilekutu added seven.  Zietek proved to be the most efficient at the net, hitting .590.

“Magda played extremely well offensively, especially in game one,” Wiedemann said.  “She was moving well today, and when she moves, she can be excellent.  It’s been nice watching her flow through things today.”

Baleilekutu led the Grizzlies defensively at the net, recording 6.5 blocks, including two solos.  “Torika blocked exceptionally well.  She worked really hard.  Blocking is effort, and she did that exceptionally well today,” the coach said.

Swayzer led the team in digs with 26.  “She really started getting a good read on things.  She stayed patient, and it paid off,” Wiedemann said.

The coach also praised Alexander.  “She was solid digging the ball, passing, taking good swings.  Her complete game is really improving,” Wiedemann said.

Before facing Redlands, the Grizzlies had to play No. 16 seed Faulkner State Community College (27-9) of Bay Minette, Ala., earlier today, and it was in this match that the Grizzlies set the tone for the day.

“We put them on their heels and kept them there,” Wiedemann said.  “In Thursday’s match against Hillsborough Community College, they kept themselves in every point, and it frustrated us, but that wasn’t the case with Faulkner.  We were in control of the game from the beginning.  We came out and really played, and it gave us some confidence going into the Redlands’ match.”

As a team, the Grizzlies hit. 406 while recording 37 kills.  Leading the way was Peric with 10 kills.  Zietek and Baleilekutu paced the Grizzlies in attacking percentage with .670 each.  Peric led the team in digs with 10, and Baleilekutu, Alexander and freshman setter Sarah Stretch each recorded 1.5 blocks.

Wiedemann credits today’s turn around to the team’s loss in the first round.  “After yesterday, the girls got together, watched some game film on Faulkner then asked to watch their game film against Hillsborough.  They were kicking themselves as they watched it because they realized the opportunity they missed.  When you’re in that moment, you have to learn to rise to the occasion.

“These players really like each other, but they don’t hide their frustrations well,” she continued.  “In great matches, the pressure is going to be there, and you need to learn how to handle it.  Until you’re in a tournament like this, you don’t know how you are going to handle the moment.  But now they’ve embraced what it’s all about.  They care about what they’re doing, and they want to get this done.  They set their goal to get from one game to the next and to play on Saturday, and we’re playing that fourth game.  That’s a big deal for this team.  We’ve got work to do tomorrow, but they’re in the position they wanted to be in.”

As for Temple, which played two hard-fought, five-game matches today (the Leopards also defeated No. 11 Western Texas College, Snyder, 25-23, 21-25, 21-25, 25-17, 15-10), Wiedemann expects them to be “ready to play.  I’m impressed they’re pushing each match to five games.  They know how to win five-game matches, and they’re going to be ready to play the long haul.”

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, visit http://www.njcaavbd1.com/.