UTB-TSC Capsules: Scorpions advance to NAIA semifinals for first time
SIOUX CITY, Iowa - The University of Texas at Brownsville and Texas Southmost College advanced to the 2010 NAIA volleyball national championship semifinals for the first time with a 3-0 victory over Biola University (Calif.) on Friday night at the Gateway Arena in the Tyson Events Center.
UTB-TSC won by scores of 25-17, 25-16, 25-21. The Scorpions (38-1) now play three-time defending national champion Fresno Pacific (Calif.) at 12:30 p.m. Saturday in the semifinals.
In the other semifinal, Lee University (Tenn.) faces Columbia College (Mo.) at 10 a.m. The semifinal winners advance to the championship match at 8 p.m. Saturday.
"We finally came together and we all played well," Scorpions coach Todd Lowery said. "We started blocking well right away in Game 1 and that kind of set the tone early. The big difference for us tonight was we played great team defense and helped each other out."
Biola finished its season with a 28-10 record.
The Scorpions cruised in the first two sets. In the first set, the score was tied at 8, before the Scorpions took command and extended the lead throughout. In the second set, the two teams were tied at 11, before the Scorpions went on a six-point run and were never threatened.
The third set was more dramatic. The score was tied 10 times between 11-11 and 21-21 before the Scorpions scored the final four points to seal the victory.
Twelve team blocks were a big factor in the Scorpions' win, including seven blocks in the opening set. Ana Guerra had seven assisted blocks while Talita Milasauskas had one solo and four assisted blocks. Danica Markovic and Tamires had three blocks each.
Markovic led the attack with 11 kills on 24 swings with four errors for a .292 hitting percentage. Milasauskas added nine kills and Guerra seven. Ferreira had 31 assists and Gregner Gotay-Quinones led the back-row defenders with 14 digs.
The Scorpions and Fresno Pacific are familiar with each other. UTB-TSC ended FPU's three-year winning streak in October in Los Angeles. In the 2007 and 2009, the Scorpions were eliminated in the quarterfinals by the Sunbirds.
"We just have to come out and play perfect against Fresno," Lowery said. "Fresno is a great team they are so talented in so many positions. We are excited where we are at and just have to show up and play them tomorrow."
Friday's Elimination Match Scores
No. 8 Azusa Pacific (Calif.) def. No. 9 Lewis-Clark State (Idaho), 3-1
No. 5 California Baptist University (Calif.) def. No. 12 College of Idaho, 3-0
No. 6 Point Loma Nazarene University (Calif.) def. #11 Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University (Fla.), 3-1
No. 7 Biola University (Calif.) def. No. 10 Concordia University (Calif.), 3-2
Quarterfinal Scores
No. 1 Lee University (Tenn.) def. Lewis-Clark State College, 3-1
No. 4 Columbia College (Mo.) def. California Baptist, 3-2
No. 3 Fresno Pacific University (Calif.) def. Point Loma Nazarene, 3-0
No. 2 UTB-TSC 3, Biola University 0
Semifinals
No. 1 Lee University vs. No. 4 Columbia College, 10 a.m.
No. 2 UTB-TSC vs. No. 3 Fresno Pacific University, 12:30 p.m.
Championship
Semifinal Winners, 8 p.m.
Scorpions volleyball matches to be shown live at Student Union Gran Salon
Saturday's NAIA volleyball national championships matches from Sioux City, Iowa, will be shown at the Student Union Gran Salon. Admission is free to all Scorpions fans.
UTB-TSC plays Fresno Pacific University at 12:30 p.m. Saturday in the tournament semifinals. The tournament championship, if it features the Scorpions, will also be shown at the Gran Salon.
Fans who wish to view Saturday's matches may visit www.watchnaia.com for information about purchasing matches for single games or tournament passes.
The Scorpions volleyball team's flight is expected to arrive at 6:35 p.m. Sunday at Valley International Airport in Harlingen.
Scorpions to face Biola in NAIA volleyball quarterfinals at 8 p.m.
SIOUX CITY, Iowa - UTB-TSC will face Biola University (Calif.) in the quarterfinals of the NAIA volleyball national championships on Court 2 of the Tyson Events Center at 8 p.m. Friday.
Biola eliminated Concordia early Friday afternoon 3-2.
The Scorpions (37-1) and Biola (28-9) met in La Mirada, Calif. Oct. 28, with the Scorpions coming away with a 3-1 victory. Biola was ranked No. 3 in the nation at time and UTB-TSC was No. 5.
If the Scorpions win today, Saturday’s matches will be shown in La Sala at the Student Union for students, faculty and staff interested in supporting the Scorpions as a group.
At the time, the win at Biola was the biggest one for the Scorpions. The following day, UTB-TSC defeated then 10th-ranked Concordia and then top-ranked Fresno Pacific, two other strong California schools in the Golden State Athletic Conference.
UTB-TSC came into the national tournament as the No. 2 seed. The Scorpions won all three of their Pool B matches to earn a bye from the elimination matches early Friday and go directly to the quarterfinals.
Biola went 2-1 in Pool F, which was won by now fifth-seeded California Baptist.
The winner of the quarterfinal match will advance to the semifinals at 12:30 p.m. Saturday against the winner of the match between No. 3 seed Fresno Pacific and No. 6 seed Point Loma Nazarene. Those teams also play at 8 p.m. Friday on Court 1.
The tournament championship is scheduled at 8 p.m. Saturday.
For fans who want to greet the Scorpions home from the national tournament, the team is scheduled to arrive at Valley International Airport at 6:35 p.m. Sunday in Harlingen.
