The Minnesota West Lady Jays' volleyball team completed the most successful season in program history this past weekend by finishing second in the NJCAA Division III National Championship Tournament in Cedar Rapids, Iowa.
The Lady Jays entered the tournament as the No. 2 seed and, after cruising to 3-0 wins in their first two matches on Thursday, won via another 3-0 sweep Friday night to advance to the championship match. They were beaten there 3-0 by Dallas College Eastfield, which won its second straight national title.
In the semifinal match Friday against DuPage, the Lady Jays blanked the No. 11 seed Chapparals for the second time this season. Game scores were 25-23, 25-20, 25-15.
In the opening set, Minnesota rallied from a 21-17 deficit, with Claire Bohlen getting four kills in that final stretch — including the clincher. In game two, the Lady Jays trailed 12-11 and the tallied nine of the next 11 points, ultimately finished things off on a Sadie Krahling kill. Minnesota West never trailed in the final set and after going up 9-7, continued to expand its advantage.
Among the statistical leaders for the Lady Jays against DuPage were: Krahling and Bohlen, 10 kills each; Ally Nelson, nine kills, four total blocks; Ella Hesse, eight kills and 11 digs; and Lexi Schreurs, 37 set assists and 13 digs.
In Saturday's championship match, Dallas College Eastfield defeated Minnesota West by scores of 25-16, 25-9, 25-12. Hesse, Bohlen and Abby Loosbrock had four kills each. Schreurs had a team-high 11 digs and passed for 19 set assists. Both Schreurs and Hesse were named to the all-tournament team.
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