By Nicholas Huenefeld/Owens Sports Information
Toledo, OH---The No. 17 Express volleyball team upset No. 4 Kirkwood Community College in four sets to advance to the NJCAA D-II National Tournament Quarterfinals later tonight.
The Express dropped the first set 21-25, but came back and won the second set 25-21. Then, after being down 6-1 in the third set, the Express rallied for 11 straight points to take a 12-6 lead. They eventually won the set 25-21.
Jazmine Thomas got the final point on a kill shot in the fourth set as the Express won 21-25, 25-21, 25-21, 25-20.
Dakia Sellers led the Express with 18 kills, including a few very powerful ones, while Alyssa Meis had 13 kills. Thomas added 11, while Dominique Yates had seven.
Molly Hilfinger inched closer to the program's single-season assist record with a team-high 47 assists, while Brandi Schimming led the team with two aces.
Hilfinger now has 1,396 assists, and she is 82 away from Cearra Barr's mark from 2004. Hilfinger already holds the single match and career program records.
Lisa Urbanski had a team-high 39 digs, while Meis added 17 and Schimming had 15. Thomas led the Express in blocks with three assisted and two solo blocks. Kenzie Kleinhenz had three assisted blocks, while Yates had a team-high five assisted blocks.
Overall, the Express had 52 kills, 49 assists (47 from Hilfinger), four aces, 97 digs, three solo blocks and 16 assisted blocks.
With the win, the Express avenged an earlier five set regular season match loss to Kirkwood, as well.
The Express (36-9) now advance to take on No. 9 Iowa Central in the semifinals tonight at 7:30 p.m., while Kirkwood (38-9) drop into the losers bracket where they will take on Monroe College (NY) at 12 p.m. tomorrow.
