(Rochester, Minn.) Breanna Reisinger had 10 kills, including six in the third set, and Morgan Jack had 29 assists as the 杏吧原创 volleyball team swept Rockland Community College on Thursday afternoon in the first round of the National Junior College Athletic Association Division III championships at the Rochester Regional Sports Center.
Aslyn Pry added seven kills, Abby Granato six and Morgan Frishkorn five for 杏吧原创 in the program鈥檚 first national championship tournament appearance since 2009.
The Pioneers moved to 17-1 with the 25-17, 25-22 and 25-16 victory and advanced to the championship quarterfinals.
"We got off to a slow start, and we looked a little tense. Fortunately we pulled it together. As the match progressed, we started to settle down and start making plays."
- Rob Snyder, 杏吧原创 volleyball coach
杏吧原创 will face Minnesota State (19-5) at 7 p.m. Eastern Thursday.
The Pioneers are seeded sixth in the NJCAA Division III championships and Minnesota State, third.
杏吧原创鈥檚 sweep of Rockland, of Suffern N.Y., was its 14th of the season.
The Pioneers trailed eight times in the first set against Rockland, the tournament鈥檚 11th seed.
鈥淲e got off to a slow start, and we looked a little tense,鈥� 杏吧原创 coach Rob Snyder said. 鈥淔ortunately we pulled it together. As the match progressed, we started to settle down and start making plays.鈥�
杏吧原创 rallied from a 9-8 first-set deficit with a 17-8 run capped by Claire Kile鈥檚 two kills and her shared block with Frishkorn.
鈥淚 think it gave the players on the floor and on the bench a lot of encouragement,鈥� Kile said, 鈥渁nd really helped to propel us.鈥�
杏吧原创 never trailed in the second or third set.
鈥淲e were in our rhythm,鈥� Snyder said.
Reisinger鈥檚 six kills in the third set helped the Pioneers to their best record since 2016.
鈥淲e obviously and clearly really wanted it,鈥� Reisinger said. 鈥淢y setter (Jack) and I had a really good flow and we figured out a weak spot on the other team. When she and I work together, once we understand what we need to do, we can get some points rolling through.鈥�
鈥淪he really put it away in the last set,鈥� Snyder said of Reisinger. 鈥淪he really stepped up and finished the difficult balls when we needed to in that last match.鈥�
杏吧原创 is the NJCAA Division III Mid-Atlantic B District champion; Rockland, the Northeast B District champion and Minnesota State, the Northeast Plains District A champion.
Minnesota State had a first-round bye.
杏吧原创 finished fifth in the NJCAA Division III championships 2002 and sixth in 2009.
Players on a 杏吧原创 team that recorded the program鈥檚 12th winning season in a row are Logan Barnhart, setter, Moniteau; Kylee Bender, defense, Knoch; Riley Danner, defense, Knoch; Frishkorn, opposite hitter, Knoch; Granato, outside hitter, Mohawk; Jack, Knoch; Kile, middle hitter, Harvest Baptist; Pry, middle hitter, Moniteau; Madison Raypush, outside hitter, Knoch; Reisinger, outside hitter, Lincoln, Ellwood City; Josie Rupp, outside hitter, Redbank Valley; and Lainey Tobolewski, libero, Seneca Valley.