Both Lourdes University and Missouri Valley College advanced to the NAIA national tournament after winning their play-in games. Lourdes beat Cardinal-Stritch University in four sets, 25-23, 17-25, 25-21, 25-16; while Missouri Valley beat Ottawa University in four sets, 25-23, 23-25, 25-23, 25-23.
LOURDES (20-7) VS. CARDINAL-STRITCH (27-8)
HOW IT HAPPENED:
- Lourdes hit .252%; CSU hit .197%
- Lourdes: 50 team assists; CSU: 48 team assists
- Lourdes: 10 blocks; CSU: 11 blocks
- Lourdes: 62 team digs; CSU: 56 team digs
Junior outside hitter Eric Ubior led Lourdes with 15 kills on a .438 hitting percentage while also picking up nine digs. Senior outside hitter Zachary Hawkins followed with 14 kills and and six digs while senior libero CJ Rilveria led the defensive effort with 19 digs. Junior middle blocker Ryan Maune and freshman outside hitter Evan Gebert each finished with nine kills; Gebert also had 10 digs. Senior setter Ryan Ferkel controlled the offense with 46 assists.
Sophomore outside hitter Felipe Mello Oliveira led CSU in kills and digs, finishing with 16 kills on a .344 hitting percentage and 14 digs. Junior opposite Joao Sales Neto followed with 11 kills and six digs, while senior middle blocker Connor O’Ryan had 10 kills on a team high .409 hitting percentage. Junior setter Joe Duda led in assists with 47, also picking up nine digs.
Lourdes advances to pool play of the NAIA national tournament where they will first face top-ranked Grand View University.
MISSOURI VALLEY (18-12) VS. OTTAWA (25-7)
HOW IT HAPPENED:
- MVC hit .187%; Ottawa hit .165%
- MVC: 50 team assists; Ottawa: 46 assists
- MVC: 17 blocks; Ottawa: 14 blocks
- MVC: 47 team digs; Ottawa: 39 team digs
Senior outside hitter Casey Wood led MVC with a team high 16 kills and six digs. Sophomore outside hitter Ivailo Enev had 11 kills and freshman outside hitter Luis Garate followed with nine kills. Senior middle blocker Mohamed Diyani had a team high .467 hitting percentage on eight kills. Senior setter Andrea Maggio contributed 44 assists and nine digs, while freshman libero Skyler Capplonch had a team high 18 digs.
Junior outside hitter Daniel Jacobs had 28 kills on a team high .333 hitting percentage. Junior outside hitter Matt Pimblett had 13 kills with seven digs. Junior setter Luke Pope had a team high 44 assists while junior libero Errol Basconcillo contributed 18 digs.
Missouri Valley advances to pool play in the NAIA national tournament where they will first face the #2 seed Missouri Baptist.
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