HILLSBORO, Kan. Coming off of a great win on senior day, the Bluejays went into the first round of the KCAC tournament on a high note and it never dropped it. They beat the Bethany College Swedes in three sets to move on to the next round.
Head Coach Casey Quiggle had this to say about the performance, "Our lady Bluejays have prepared all season with the right mindset for this type of playoff environment. Our energy was high from the start and pushing through that first set only helped us gain some momentum. One of our team goals was to not only secure the 8 seed or higher but to move on to the tournament in Hutchinson. We've had to make some adjustments with Sammie (Saunders) out with an injury. Valarie Allen has really stepped up and played well for us on the outside. And our defense has been consistent throughout the season. Tonight these young women played with a lot of heart and grit."
In set one, it was a back-and-forth battle between the Bluejays and Swedes. After taking advantage of Bethany's errors the Bluejays came on top winning, 27-25. Set two started out close for both teams but once the Bluejays found their groove they were unstoppable. With some great offense, they won, 25-20. During set three, the Swedes came out of the huddle with a fight but it just wasn't enough to stop the Bluejays. The ladies had some dominant defense, pulling out the win to end the game, 25-18.
Some star players included junior Valerie Allen with 13 kills, sophomore Fiona Sampaio with 11 kills, and junior Juliana Alaniz with 8 kills. Senior Katie Lowery with 2 blocks. Senior Emma Rhodes with 3 blocks and 37 assists. Senior Kenna Brandes with 18 digs and junior Naera Tschus with 12 digs.
"I can't say it enough. I'm proud of this team. They've overcome adversity, played the game with passion, and continually strived to improve. We're going to enjoy this win tonight and get right back to work tomorrow. We will prepare to face OKWU in the quarters on Friday", said Coach Quiggle.
This win brings their overall record to 15-12. The Bluejays will take on Oklahoma Wesleyan University in the KCAC Quarterfinals in Hutchinson, Kansas on Friday, Nov. 10 at 11 a.m.
Tabor College is a Christ-centered institution located in Hillsboro, Kansas. The Bluejays are members of the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) and compete in the Kansas Collegiate Athletic Conference (KCAC).
