Scorpions sweep past Mid-America Nazarene
SIOUX CITY, Iowa - The University of Texas at Brownsville and Texas Southmost College began play in the 32nd annual NAIA volleyball national championships with a 3-0 win over Mid-America Nazarene University (Kan.) in Pool B play Tuesday at the Tyson Events Center.
With the 25-15, 25-11, 25-19 victory, the second-seeded Scorpions are 27-2. UTB-TSC next plays No. 14 seed Missouri Baptist University at 5:45 p.m. Wednesday in a pool play match.
Tuesday's victory, which was exactly 60 minutes, is expected to be the least challenging of all the matches for the Scorpions. MNU (29-8) is the No. 23 seed.
UTB-TSC will face No. 11 seed Fresno Pacific University at 5:45 p.m. Thursday, and the matches will get progressively tougher as the week goes on.
The top two teams from each of six pools will advance to a single-elimination bracket starting Friday, Dec. 2. Single-elimination matches are scheduled for Friday morning, the quarterfinals Friday night, and the semifinals Saturday late morning and midday. The national championship match is scheduled for 8 p.m. Saturday.
UTB-TSC coasted during the first two sets, committing only six errors with attack percentages of .318 and .333, respectively. The third set was closer, although the Scorpions were never threatened. UTB-TSC made seven attack errors in the third set.
The Scorpions finished with a .226 attack percentage, compared to a negative .039 for MNU.
Like most of the 2011 season, the defensive force along the net was big Tuesday night. All-america candidate Ana Guerra had seven blocks, three solo and four assisted. Yenifer Calcano added four as the Scorpions had 10 team blocks.
Setter Amber Brooks, who had 28 assists, distributed the ball evenly for UTB-TSC, although none of the attackers was in double figures in kills.
Calcano had eight kills on 21 swings with five errors for a .143 attack percentage, Vanja Joksic hit .778 with seven kills on nine attempts without an error, and Guerra hit .313 with six kills on 16 attempts with one error.
On the defensive back side, libero Paula Barros had 18 digs and Danica Markovic 12.
UTB-TSC went 26-2 in the regular season and was ranked No. 1 for eight straight weeks, including seven in a row as a unanimous selection.
About Missouri Baptist University
Match Time: 5:45 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 30, Court 1
City: St. Louis, Mo.
Mascot: Spartans
Enrollment: 3,350
School Founded: 1964
Conference: American Midwest Conference
Previous National Tournament Appearances: 3 - 2002, 2005, 2011
Season Record: 36-4
Conference Record/Finish: 13-2, second to Columbia College
Coach: John Yehling
Opening-round Result: Defeated Robert Morris University 3-0
Season Recap: The Spartans have been consistent all season. After starting the season with eight straight wins, MBU lost its first match of the season to UTB-TSC 3-1 on Sept. 3 at the Columbia College Classic. MBU lost twice to conference champion Columbia College during AMC play, and lost a non-conference match to Lindenwood University. MBU shocked Columbia in the AMC tournament championship match, 3-0.
Team National Top 20 Rankings: No. 5 attack percentage (.297), No. 20 service aces per set (2.010).
Individual National Top 20 Rankings: Lauren Stuckel No. 10 total service aces, Casey Chermin No. 18 kills per set (.3.92)
Team Leader/Assists: Lauren Stuckel 9.66 per set
Note: MBU went 37-8 in the 2006 season, led by former Scorpion Ana Mercado, who earned NAIA all-america honors. Mercado was earned NJCAA all-america honors with the Scorpions in the 2004 season, leading UTB-TSC to its final appearance in the NJCAA national tournament.
