Box Score GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. - Calvin women's volleyball advanced to the national quarterfinals in the NCAA Dlll Tournament by taking down Otterbein in four sets (21-25, 25-20, 25-21, 25-23) Saturday evening at Van Noord Arena.
These two teams met earlier this year on the same floor, with Calvin beating the Cardinals 3-0 at the Calvin Labor Day Tournament. Calvin came into the final ranked 5th in the nation, and Otterbein 24th.
Otterbein started off strong, grabbing a 9-6 lead and causing Calvin to take its first timeout. The Calvin crowd was large and rowdy, and it had something to cheer about right after that. A 7-2 run gave the Knights the lead right back, causing Otterbein to call for a timeout. Kelsey Smith (Vienna, VA / Madison) led the way early, working off the block to gain momentum back.
The set went back and forth, both teams trying to establish a crucial early lead. Otterbein began to pull away, thanks to three different service aces. Otterbein finished off the first set 25-21 behind an offensive barrage by Emma Linehan and Amber Greeley, each finishing set one with 3 kills.
The Cardinals picked up where they left off with four straight points to start set two. Once again, the Knights had to dig out of a hole. Back and forth the two teams went again, with Calvin tying it 6-6, the Cardinals pulling back away 11-8 and the Knights answering to make it 13-11 Calvin.
Even after a Cardinal timeout, the Knights stayed convincingly on the gas to take an 18-13 lead. Senior Madelyn Hall (Hudsonville, MI / Hudsonville) contributed to six different Calvin blocks through the first two sets, most of them coming during the second set run. Once Calvin was in control, there was no looking back, and the Knights won the set 25-20.
Calvin rode the momentum to a 5-2 early advantage in set three after a huge solo block by Maria Bos (Grand Rapids, MI / Grand Rapids Christian). Otterbein called timeout as Calvin held the lead throughout the early portion of set 3, finding itself down 10-6.
The Knights went back to Heidi Westra (Clarendon Hils, IL / Timothy Christian) again and again, and she delivered to grow the lead to 18-13. Sensing the match slipping away, the Cardinals responded with a 5-1 run to draw within one. The Knights pulled back away with three straight blocks, with Anna Schriemer (Vicksburg, MI / Vicksburg), Vanessa Martinez (Hudsonville, MI / Wyoming), Smith, and Westra all involved. Calvin took set three, 25-21.
Otterbein needed set four to keep its season alive. It started close, each team crawling towards 10 at a similar pace. Calvin got there first and began to stretch the lead. Otterbein got a couple crucial kills from Amber Greeley, but Calvin got another huge solo block from Bos on Greeley to go up 15-10 in the fourth.
Head coach Monica Wright took the first of her timeouts for the Cardinals to slow down and regroup. Calvin kept pulling ahead though, and the momentum was firmly with the Knights. Otterbein battled to cut the lead to three, and then found themselves tied with the Knights at 22.
Each team traded points to tie it back up at 23, Otterbein making every play count with their season on the line. Maria Bos delivered a huge kill to put the Knights back ahead, and Kelsey Smith finished it off with a game-winning strike. Calvin took the match, three sets to one.
Calvin was led by Westra, with the junior providing one of her most statistically brilliant matches of the season highlighted by 22 kills. Smith contributed 11, and Bos tallied 5. Anna Schriemer dished out 45 assists to coordinate the Calvin offense. Schriemer and Aubrey Wrubel (Jenison, MI / Jenison) led the way defensively with 16 digs apiece. The Calvin block was a huge factor later in this game, totaling 12 blocks in the contest. Schriemer, Bos and Westra were on the All-Tournament Team with Westra being named MVP.
COACHES COMMENTS: "We are just really thrilled we got the outcome we wanted and extend our season another week," said Head Coach Dr. Amber Warners. "I thought it was a very hard-fought match and I really liked how we stayed in the zone most of the time. We didn't give in the end as they tried to make a run at the end. It's a special thing to make it this far and it's an honor to represent Calvin and we are going to take it one point at a time and give it our all."
UP NEXT: The Knights await their upcoming opponent with reseeding taking place after this weekend's regional competition. National quarterfinal opponents will be announced either late Sunday night or early Monday morning.
