Scorpions overwhelm Embry-Riddle, advance to NAIA semifinals
SIOUX CITY, Iowa - The University of Texas at Brownsville and Texas Southmost College took care of business in a 3-0 victory 25-23, 25-14, 25-20 over Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University (Fla.) in the quarterfinals of the 32nd annual NAIA volleyball national championships Friday night at the Tyson Events Center.
The second-seeded Scorpions advance to the semifinals to face third-seeded Lee University (Tenn.) at 12:30 p.m. Saturday.
In the other semifinal, top seed Concordia University (Calif.) meets No. 4 seed Columbia College (Mo.) at 10 a.m. The winners meet for the national championship at 8 p.m.
There will be a new national champion because four-time defending national champion Fresno Pacific University (Calif.) lost in an elimination match Friday morning to Biola University (Calif.), which lost Friday night to Lee.
"Embry-Riddle played really well, but I think we tired them down a little bit," Scorpions coach Todd Lowery said. "Defensively, we touched a lot of balls on the block, and we frustrated them early win in the first two sets with the block. They tried to change up what they were doing, and we got them out of system and forced them to play like we wanted them to."
Friday night's game was a rematch of a September meeting between the two schools at the Scorpion Invitational Tournament at Manuel Garza B. Gymnasium on the UTB-TSC campus. The Scorpions won the thrilling match 3-2 before the biggest crowd of the year, 508 people.
There were about 500 people in the spacious Tyson Events Center, but the match was not as dramatic.
The first set was the only contested one. ERAU gave the Scorpions fits and had a 21-18 lead when UTB-TSC coach Todd Lowery called timeout.
What followed was Scorpions power, behind the quarterback play of setter Amber Brooks.
Two kills by Ana Guerra, an Eagles' attack error, and kills by Yenifer Calcano and another kill by Guerra suddenly made it 23-21 Scorpions. UTB-TSC closed out the match two points later, 25-23.
In the second set, ERAU had an early 3-1 lead before the Scorpions took command. They took the lead and stretched it out throughout the match. The final 11-point margin of victory was the biggest lead UTB-TSC had in the match.
The third set was tied at 14, before the Scorpions opened a lead and pulled away the rest of the way.
UTB-TSC had an attack percentage of .303 in the first set, .300 in the second set, and .220 in the third set and finished hitting .271. ERAU had a .095 attack percentage
The Scorpions' .293 attack percentage, tops in the tournament field, has been a big part of the team's success so far.
"A lot of that comes from serve receive," Lowery said. "That's where it starts. We've been passing the ball well all week, which is something we worked on a lot coming into the national tournament. When Amber (Brooks) is able to get a great pass and get this group of hitters one-on-one, we're going to have a high hitting percentage."
The offensive numbers were outstanding, but it was the play of Brooks that set everything up. The senior setter had 33 assists in 33 attempts, a perfect 1.000 percentage. She had good distribution throughout the night, and added a season-high 27 digs.
Calcano also had a double-double, with 12 kills and 12 digs.
Markovic and Guerra had only one attack error each, with Markovic getting 12 kills on 35 attempts and Guerra nine kills on 24 swings.
The defensive front line was also a big factor in the win, with 12 total blocks, the highest total for the Scorpions in the tournament. Guerra, the nation's and tournament leader in blocks, had two solo and eight assisted blocks, and Calcano had five assisted blocks.
Now the Scorpions face Lee University for the second time this year. The Scorpions won 3-0 on the road in Cleveland. Tenn., in early September. On the Lady Flames' roster is former Scorpions player Arlene Ferreira, who was named all-america with UTB-TSC in 2009.
UTB-TSC will have to get past Lee to play for its first national championship Saturday night.
"It's going to be a great match," Lowery said. "They are much better than they were earlier in the year, and they're going to bring it. They want to beat us more than anything, just like we want to beat them more than anything. We both want to get to the championship, so it's going to be a great match."
