DES MOINES, Iowa — Trying to do what men's and women's soccer could not, the Central Methodist volleyball team unfortunately suffered the same fate on Saturday night, falling short against No. 2 Grand View in the Heart Postseason Tournament Final.
After keeping it close in the first two sets, the Eagles (30-6) were able to steal the third, 26-24. But the Vikings (32-0) ran away with it in the fourth set, never giving Central Methodist a chance to make it competitive.
The two bright spots offensively were Jane Kickham (JR/Springfield, Mo.) and Marija Janjusevic (SR/Belgrade, Serbia). Kickham pounded a season-high 22 kills, hitting .327, while Janjusevic had 12 kills, hitting .385. Shannon Peters (SO/Waverly, Mo.) and Stevie Sherard (SR/Leavenworth, Kan.) orchestrated the offense with 24 and 19 assists, respectively.
On the defensive side, the Eagles had four players record double-digit digs. Alma Flores (SR/Tijuana, Mexico) led CMU with 23 digs, while Kickham had 13 for a double-double. Viviane Viana (JR/Barueri, Sao Paulo, Brazil) and Sherard both pitched in 10 digs. Brooke Hogard (JR/Perryville, Mo.) had three service aces.
With the runner-up finish, Central Methodist still secured a spot in the NAIA National Tournament. The Eagles next match-up will be determined Monday, Nov. 12 at 10 am CT during the NAIA National Tournament Selection Show, streamed on Facebook Live. Stay tuned to cmueagles.com for updates.
