Lady Cards will compete in Missouri tourney Thursday
The fans rose to their feet and shook the rafters in Christianson Gymnasium knowing that the home team had a shot to go for the gold.
The fifth-ranked NIC Lady Cardinals split their two matches in the Region 18 volleyball tournament at NIC on Nov. 4 and 5, sending them to the NJCAA National Tournament in West Plains, Mo. on Thursday.
The host Lady Cardinals were swept by the ninth-ranked College of Southern Idaho (CSI) Golden Eagles in the championship game with scores of 25-19, 25-18 and 25-23.
Both teams had clinched berths to nationals, but CSI spoiled NIC’s hopes of defending their Region 18 Championship title from last year and the top seed out of Region 18. NIC defeated CSI the previous two times they played each other.
“I think we just needed a little bit more energy,” said sophomore middle blocker Janele Vogt. “We had a big game yesterday, so I know that a few of us were tired, but more energy would have helped us out.”
In the second set of the match, Yang Yang received a yellow card after pleading her case that she did not touch the net.
“Yang gets intense and she didn’t mean anything,” said coach Kandice Kelly. “She was just saying ‘No I wasn’t in the net.’’ The referees called her in the net, and she wasn’t very happy about it.”
Vogt and Yang led the team in kills with 14 apiece, while sophomore outside hitter Sabrina Ewing made her presence felt with 10 kills.
Setters Sierra Pancho and Brooklyn Bradbury combined for 36 of the team’s 39 assists, and sophomore outside hitter Mariah Smith led her team in digs with 12.
After a bye in the first round, no. 1 seed NIC acted as rude hosts when they swept five-seeded Snow College to clinch a spot in nationals the day before the championship game.
The fans reached record noise levels in an effort to disrupt Snow College’s concentration. NIC won in straight sets posting scores of 26-24, 25-23 and 25-17 to end the Badgers’ season.
“I think they felt confident,” Kelly said. “They knew what every player did: outside, front, and middle. It’s our house and we weren’t going to let anybody come in and take us away.”
Vogt, Yang and Ewing led with three kills each. Pancho contributed seven assists and Smith added five digs in a winning effort.
“In the locker room, everyone was just lifting each other up; everyone had each other’s back,” said freshman setter/right side hitter Mariah Zaback. “So coming out tonight, we went all out and didn’t have any doubt in our minds that we were going to win this game.”
This is NIC’s fifth trip to nationals in the past eight years, finishing fifth in the country last year.
“It feels amazing,” said freshman setter Brooklyn Bradbury. “We have worked so hard this season, and we definitely deserve this.”
NIC (22-9) drew the seventh seed in the national tournament and will play 10 seed Central Florida (40-6) on Nov. 17 at 9 a.m.
Miami – Dade defeated Central Florida in three sets in the championship game of their district tournament. NIC beat Miami-Dade in straight sets earlier in the season at the College of Southern Idaho tournament in September.
Yang and Vogt earned All-Region 18 first team selection honors and All-Tournament team honors, while Pancho was named to the All-Region 18 second team and Smith received honorable mention.
Kelly was named Region 18 Coach of the Year.
