SIOUX CITY, Iowa – Fourth-ranked Bellevue University defeated 22nd-ranked Doane College in the first match of pool play, 23-25, 25-23, 25-14, 19-15 and 15-10, of the 2008 NAIA National Tournament in Sioux City, Iowa held at the Tyson Event Center. Bellevue improves to 31-4 overall as Doane goes to 27-9.
In the fifth and deciding set, Doane had a 4-1 advantage after a kill by Terra Andreasen as Bellevue countered with a 5-2 run of their own to tie the match at 6’s. Four points later, the Bruins and Tigers were knotted up at 8-8 after the team’s switched sides. Of the final nine points, Bellevue went on a 7-2 stretch to close out the match followed by a set-winning kill by Leah Keller (Barstow, CA).
The Bruins trying to overcome their 0-3 National Tournament record last season went up 4-3 in the first set but lost the lead when Doane College out-scored the Bruins 9-6 taking a two-point lead (12-10). Doane took the first set as Bellevue gave up three of the final four points, 25-23, going down to a Tigers team they defeated earlier this season.
Set two was similar with back and forth scoring with the final tie coming at 22-22, same in set one. This time the Bruins were not to be out done as they out-scored Doane 3-0 overcoming a one-point deficit (22-23) to even up the match.
Bellevue looked to piece things better in the third match as they went on an 11-3 run to break a 9-9 tie. The Bruins won set three (25-14) by out-scoring their opponent 13-4 during the second half the set. Doane College, trying to avenge an early season loss in three sets, forced a fifth set beating the Bruins 16-10 following a 9-9 tie to win 25-19 in set four.
The match would come to a close in the fifth set as Bellevue was able to survive Doane College in the first pool play match of the week.
Two freshmen led the way for the fourth-ranked Bruins, Kali Schnacker and Maureen Wardian finishing with 16 kills each. Schnacker hit .382 for the match as her freshman counterpart, Wardian, hit .351. Leah Keller had 15 kills hitting .256 in the match at junior, Rachel Muller (Omaha, NE) finished with 13 kills. Candace Clow had a season-high 64 set assists in the win with 3 kills and 7 digs.
Defensively, Bellevue had three players record 20 or more digs getting a team-high 22 from Katy Gregory as Rachel Muller and Gabby Pfannenstiel contributed 21 and 20 respectively. The Bruins had a season high 95 total digs in the match.
Doane College also had four players with double-figure kills getting a match-high 18 from Chelsee Marvin. Terra Andreasen had 15 kills as Jessy Livers and Kellie Peterson added 11 kills each. Marvin hit .381 for the match as Peterson hit .429.
Ashley Sluka had 31 set assists for the Tigers as Heather Davidson finished with 29. Emily Schwisow had a match-high 32 digs getting 14 each from Nicole Skolnick and Ashley Sluka. Heather Davidson added 10 digs in the loss as the Tigers recorded 3 aces to their 5 errors.
