IWU Advances to NCCAA Final Match with Five-Game Win over The Master’s
ST. PAUL, Minn. (Dec. 1, 2007) – The Master’s College (Calif.) gave top-seeded Indiana Wesleyan University a run for their money in the semifinal round of the National Christian College Athletic Association (NCCAA) National Volleyball Tournament, but it was the Wildcats who pulled out an 18-16 win in the decisive Game 5 to take the match (30-22, 28-30, 30-25, 25-30, 18-16).

The Master’s, who entered the tournament as the No. 3 seed, gave the IWU fans some nail-biting experiences as the Mustangs left everything on the court in their season’s final match.

Indiana Wesleyan held a 77-59 advantage in kills, hit almost .100 better and tallied five more blocks than Master’s, but the Mustangs made up some of the difference at the serving line, nailing 13 aces while IWU accumulated 15 serving errors throughout the five-game match.

As she has most of the weekend, Rebekah Reichard led the Wildcats with 18 kills, while Elisabeth Beam added 16 of her own. Shannon Millen and Jill MacMillan also had 13 and 12 kills, respectively.

To no one’s surprise, the Mustangs countered with the Roleder sisters in Rachel and Amanda. Rachel had a match-high 19 kills, while Amanda and teammate Amber Harder each had 10.

Both teams ran their 6-2 offense to near perfection, as all four setters in the match tallied over 20 assists. IWU’s Krystin Coleman had 35 to lead all players.

The Wildcats’ Elisabeth Beam had her hands in seven of the team’s 15 blocks.

The Master’s College ends the tournament with a 2-2 showing, with their two losses coming at the hands of IWU and No. 2 Bethel (Ind.). The Mustangs were the only team to take a game – much less two – from Indiana Wesleyan in the tournament, giving them something to keep their heads up over.

IWU will face Bethel in the NCCAA championship match at 3:30 p.m. on Saturday, featuring the fourth edition of the two teams playing one another in the 2007 season. The Wildcats have won all three of the previous matches (3-1, 3-2, 3-0).