UTB-TSC splits first two matches

COLUMBIA, Mo. — California Baptist dominated UTB-TSC, 3-0, in a Pool B match at the NAIA Women’s Volleyball National Championship Tournament on Wednesday.

But despite the loss, the 12th-seeded Scorpions are in good shape to advance into the field of 10 teams, but need to win at 3:45 p.m. today against 19th-seeded University of Virginia-Wise.

All Scorpion matches will be audio webcast through the Scorpion Athletics website at http://athletics.utb.edu.

A 3-1 victory over ninth-seeded Lewis-Clark State College (Idaho) was huge for the Scorpions (34-8) earlier Wednesday.

“Although we lost to Cal Baptist, we are still in good shape to advance out of our pool,” Scorpion coach Marcus Young said. “But we have to get our intensity level up again against Virginia-Wise to win and advance.”

Verania Willis, ranked No. 3 in the nation in kills with a 5.85 per game average, was unstoppable for California Baptist in a 30-25, 30-16, 30-21 win over UTB-TSC.

The 6-0 senior from Limon, Costa Rica was the best player the Scorpions have seen all year, collecting 30 kills in three games, including 13 in the first game alone. She had six errors out of 44 attacks for a .545 hitting percentage.

It was one of the rare times that the Scorpions faced a stronger team at the net. The Lancers (29-4) had five players on the roster taller than 6-foot, and five more 5-10 or 5-11. Shi Fei, a 6-2 sophomore from Yingling, China, had 17 kills and Yudelka Bonilla added 11. Kayla Van Duyn had 55 assists in three games.

The Scorpions were held to their lowest offensive output in their first 3-0 loss of the season.

Claudia Alarcon, Talita Milasauskas and Katie Japp had eight kills each, and setter Daianarah Bracero had 24 assists.

Earlier in the day, the Scorpions, seeded 12th in the tournament, grabbed a 28-30, 30-28, 30-22, 30-25 win over ninth-seeded Lewis-Clark State College (Idaho).

Alarcon, Milasauskas, Japp and Bracero played at a championship level to lead the Scorpions. Alarcon had 26 kills and 10 digs, Milasauskas contributed 20 kills and eight digs and Japp finished with 17 kills and seven digs. Bracero had 66 assists and five kills.