McPHERSON, Kan. (MacBulldogs.com) – For the first time since 2018, McPherson volleyball has advanced to the final site of the NAIA National Championship in Sioux City, Iowa and will square off against St. Thomas (Fla.) and Oklahoma Wesleyan in Pool G.
HOW TO WATCH
The 2024 NAIA Women’s Volleyball National Championship is broadcast FREE on the NAIA Channel of the Urban Edge Network and the newly redesigned NAIA Network for all matches at the final site in Sioux City, Iowa. For more information and to pre-register, click HERE.
A LOOK AT THE ‘DOGS
MC is riding high heading into the final site as they make their fourth appearance in the NAIA Tournament and their second-ever appearance in Sioux City. The Bulldogs have won 18 of their last 19 games with the lone setback coming in the KCAC Tournament final.
McPherson is 2-3 against teams that qualified for the final site, with two of those losses coming to Oklahoma Wesleyan.
The Bulldogs use a very balanced offensive attack that features four All-KCAC First Teamers, Daniela Jimenez, Enya Fierens, Hadley Waldren, and Brooke McHale. Fierens has also been a force at the net, winning KCAC Defensive Player of the Week twice this season.
On the backend, the Bulldogs are led by redshirt-freshman libero Celestina Retumban who leads the team with 4.60 digs per set.
Tonight’s matchup against St. Thomas is just the second meeting between the two squads. The Bulldogs took care of business in the lone meeting in 2018, holding the Bobcats to just five first-set points en route to a 3-0 sweep in Lake Wales, Fla.
The Bulldogs have lost six-straight matches to against OKWU, but five of those matches went to a deciding set. Prior to that streak, the Bulldogs won nine consecutive matches against the Eagles, including eight sweeps. MC is 11-10 against the Eagles since 2010, but just 9-10 since the Eagles joined the KCAC in 2015.
- THOMAS
One of just two unbeaten teams remaining in the tournament, St. Thomas (Fla.) enters pool play with a 31-0 record, and was 14-0 en route to a Sun Conference title.
There are two common opponents between the Bobcats and the Bulldogs. In the very first game of the season, the STU knocked off then No. 11-ranked Missouri Baptist 3-0 in Miami Gardens, Fla. The Bobcats also took on Valley City State University in August with STU coming away with a hard-fought 3-2 victory.
STU has played seven teams (including their opening round opponent) who made the NAIA National Tournament, but other than their opening round opponent, have not seen a national qualifier since Sept. 1. The Bobcats are 6-0 against teams that are ranked or receiving votes this season.
The Bobcats have competed in pool play five of the team’s seven appearances, but have yet to advance to the knockout round. In 2023, STU forced a tiebreak in their pool, but fell short of advancing to the quarterfinals.
OKLAHOMA WESLEYAN
The Eagles were the co-regular season KCAC champions with the Bulldogs, but won both meetings against MC in a pair of five-set thrillers in Bartlesville, Okla.
The latest showdown was in the KCAC Tournament Championship match. OKWU took the first two sets by scores of 29-27 and 26-24 but the Bulldogs stormed back to take the next two to force a deciding set.
OKWU raced out to a 5-1 advantage in the fifth set, and seemed to be on cruise control to the KCAC Title, but the Bulldogs clawed their way back to secure an 8-6 advantage when the teams changed sides. However, the Eagles landed the final blow to win 15-13 on their home floor.
The Eagles come into the final site holding a 31-2 record, and have played six teams who made the final site. OKWU is 6-1 against the Sioux City field, including a pair of wins over the Bulldogs.
TOURNAMENT FACTS
The 2024 iteration of the NAIA National Tournament marks the 17th year the event has been held in Sioux City, Iowa. Twenty-four teams advanced to the final site. All qualifying teams had to advance to the final site by winning their respective championship opening round. There are no first-time qualifiers to the final site.
Northwestern College (Iowa) and St. Thomas University (Fla.) are the lone remaining unbeaten teams in the country. Three of the remaining final site competitors have won a national title (Indiana Wesleyan, Marian (Ind.), and Missouri Baptist).
TIEBREAK SCENARIOS
The only tiebreaker scenario in a three-team pool is a three-way tie. In this case, the tied teams in the pool will play a single set to 25 points (win by 2 points; no cap) to determine who the winner of the pool and advance to the semifinals. The team judged to be superior by the procedure listed below will earn the first bye in the pool playoff. The other two teams shall play one set to 25 points (win by two points; no cap) and the winner will play the bye team one set to 25 points (win by two points; no cap) – For a total of two 25-point sets. Only one team will advance out of pool play.
The following procedure is to be used only to determine place in pool play and cannot eliminate a team from competition:
- Overall match record
2. Percentage of sets won of those played among tied teams (total sets won/total sets played)
3. Head-to-head competition if 1 & 2 are tied after sets won
4. Percentage of points won in matches played among tied teams (total points won/total points played)
5. Head-to-head competition if 1 & 2 are tied after points won
QUOTING COACH CAHILL
“Overall, I couldn’t be more excited for this team. We have made big strides, not just on the court but more importantly off of it. The key to our success hasn’t been our talent, but who we have been each day together.
I have no doubt that we will mee the challenge this week head on. It’s no different than any other game we have played all season and that’s how we plan to attack it. One point, one play, and one moment at a time with our sole focus being on who we are not what we are playing.
Winning is different than succeeding. This week we will succeed.”
