Photo by Jakob Komel
Hutchinson, Kan. – The McPherson College volleyball team began their run at the KCAC tournament championship on Friday with a 3-0 sweep of the Bethany College Swedes in the quarterfinals at the Hutch Sports Arena.
The Bulldogs were on top of their game from the opening serve of the match. They jumped all over the Swedes, taking set one, 25-17. They took it to another notch in sets two and three, winning both by the same score 25-12.
Key Statistic
Against the Swedes, serving was the key. The Bulldogs finished with an incredible 17 service aces
By the Numbers
The Bulldogs hit .208 on the night with 35 kills on 101 swings with 14 errors.
They assisted on 33 of their 35 kills.
Defensively, they were credited with 48 digs and 4 blocks. Â
Bulldog Leaders
Kills: Aidan Brown (11)
Digs: Bailey Avila (14)
Assists: Cynarah Rodriquez (25)
Aces: Morgan Watson (4)
Blocks: Cynarah Rodriquez (3)
In the semi-finals the Bulldogs squared off against 3rd seeded Tabor College. The Bluejays finished the regular season with the same conference record as the Bulldogs (10-2), but the Bulldogs were seeded higher in the tournament because they won the head to head matchup during the regular season. The Bulldogs won that match 3-0 on Tabor's home floor.
The Bluejays knocked off Oklahoma Wesleyan in the quarters, in straight sets, setting up the rematch with the Bulldogs. There was a lot riding on Friday's match, a trip to the KCAC tournament finals, but more importantly automatic bid to the NAIA national tournament.
Knowing what was at stake, the Bulldogs came out on the attack, locked in and ready to play. They jumped out to an early lead in the opening set, and rode that lead to a win, 25-20. They followed that up with a decisive win in the second set by an eight point margin, 25-17.
At times this season, the Bulldogs have had a let down in their play after going up two sets to none. On this night, there was no lull. They dominated set three, closing out the match with a 25-20 win.
Key Statistic
Again, the key stat against the Bluejays was serve and serve receive. The Bulldogs notched eight more service aces, to just two for Tabor.
By the Numbers
The Bulldogs improved their offensive efficiency against the Bluejays, hitting .208 with 47 kills on 112 swings with 19 errors.
They assisted on 38 of their 47 kills.
Defensively, they were credited with 57 digs and 5 blocks.Â
Bulldog Leaders
Kills: Aidan Brown (12)
Digs: Bailey Avila (13)
Assists: Cynarah Rodriquez (36)
Aces: Cynarah Rodriquez, Malu Akiona (2)
Blocks: Sydney Burton (3)
 Coach Quote
"Today was a great day, an incredible step forward for our program. It was a team effort in both matches. We passed well enough for our offense to run smoothly and efficiently. We took care of the ball from the service line and passed nails. It was a ton of fun and we look forward to getting another shot at Ottawa tomorrow." - Cory Cahill
 Next Up
 With the wins, the Bulldogs are now 16-7 on the season. They will be making their first appearance in the KCAC finals since the 2018 season where they lost to the same team they will play tomorrow, the Ottawa University Braves. First serve is slated for 2:00 pm.
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