Women’s Volleyball: Vanguard falls in NAIA quarterfinals

SIOUX CITY, Iowa — The best season in Vanguard University women’s volleyball history came to an end Saturday, when the Lions fell to Vitebro University of Wisconsin, 25-23, 25-23, 25-13, in the quarterfinals of the NAIA Tournament at the Tyson Events Center.

The No. 7-seeded Lions, who claimed the program’s first Golden State Athletic Conference championship and made the Elite Eight for the first time, finish 25-7.

No. 2-seeded Vitebro (40-4), advances to Sunday’s semifinals.

Vanguard surrendered the first six points of the match and were down, 13-4, but later scored six straight points to close to within 23-22. It was within 24-23, when the Hawks closed out the set.

In the second set, Vanguard led, 3-2, and 22-21, before falling.

And Vitebro scored eight straight points to earn an 11-3 lead in the final set. After two Vanguard points, the Hawks went on a 10-0 run and cruised to the victory.

Vanguard, which hit .079 as a team, 93 points worse than the winners, never led by more than one in the 74-minute match.

Juanae Johnson, a freshman opposite, led the Lions with nine kills and hit .286, while junior outside hitter Charlotte Heerlyn had seven kills and three block assists.

Senior middle blockers Stephanie Flores and Sarah McKinny each had five kills and combined for six block assists for the Lions, while freshman libero Rebecca Lowden had a team-best 19 digs and the Lions’ only ace.

Junior setters Rory McCloy (17 assists and five digs) and Kelly Dalrymple (14 assists and four digs), as well as senior Kiana Nicio (14 digs) also contributed.