SOUTH BEND, Ind. – In the season’s rubber match between IU South Bend and Olivet Nazarene, the Titans secured a spot in Saturday’s CCAC Tournament Final as well as a berth into the 2021 NAIA Women’s Volleyball National Championship by defeating the Tigers in four sets on Thursday night.
The Titans (22-6) fought through four close sets in front of a raucous crowd inside the Student Activities Center, taking the CCAC Semifinal matchup by scores of 25-20, 23-25, 25-23, and 25-19. Senior Hannah Marchand nearly set a number of program records, leading the attack with 23 kills, the third-highest total in a four-set match in program history. Marchand also collected nine total blocks, second-most ever among four-set matches for the Titans.
Setter McKenzie Powell collected another double-double, with 47 assists and 20 digs, while Julie Brown tallied 18 kills and nine digs in the win.
A tight opening set saw neither team take more than a two-point lead until late in the game; tied 17-17, IUSB scored six straight to claim a 23-17 highlighted by two kills apiece from Marchand and Amber Jacobs. Set point would come on Jacobs’ kill at 24-19, and two plays later the Titans would take the early lead in the match.
The Tigers (19-10) responded in game two, another close battle until a late rally from the visitors made the difference. Trailing 14-13, Olivet Nazarene would take seven of the next nine points and claim a 20-16 advantage. IU South Bend would withstand three set points before finally dropping the game, 25-23.
Game three saw the Titans jump out to a huge 12-1 lead to start, and the Tigers slowly claw back into the game. After falling behind 13-2, Olivet Nazarene went on a 9-3 run, closing the gap to five, 16-11. Another rally from the visitors later in the set made it a one-point score, with the Titans holding on to a 22-21 advantage. Kills from Brown and Powell got the Titans to set point, 24-22, and an Olivet service error secured the set, 25-23.
The Tigers would hold a narrow 5-3 lead to start game four, before a pair of errors and a kill from Brown started a 9-2 run for the Titans, giving the home team a 12-7 lead. IU South Bend would remain in front the rest of the way, closing out the night with three in a row to secure the win.
With the win, the Titans advance to Saturday’s CCAC Tournament Final, where they will face top-seeded Saint Xavier. Both teams have officially earned the conference’s two automatic berths into the NAIA Tournament, as the Titans will make their third-ever appearance in the event.
IUSB will go for their first-ever CCAC title, when they take on the Cougars in Chicago at 1:00 p.m. Eastern on November 13. The Titans will learn where they are headed for the NAIA’s Opening Round match when the full 48-team field is revealed during the NAIA Women’s Volleyball Live National Championship Qualifier Reveal show on Monday, November 15 at 11:00 a.m. Eastern, streaming on the NAIA Facebook page.
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