IWU Volleyball Ends NAIA National Championship on a High Note

by | Dec 1, 2017 | RRSN News | 0 comments

SIOUX CITY, Iowa – Indiana Wesleyan University defeated Missouri Valley in the final pool play match for both teams at the 2017 NAIA Women’s Volleyball National Championship in Sioux City, Iowa. The Wildcats finish the tournament with a 2-2 mark which includes a pair of five set losses to top-10 teams.

 

MATCH VITALS

  • Score:  Indiana Wesleyan – 3   |   Missouri Valley – 0
    • Set 1:  IWU 25-23
    • Set 2:  IWU 25-15
    • Set 3:  IWU 25-17
  • Records:  Indiana Wesleyan 29-12 (1-2 Pool G)   |   Missouri Valley 33-11 (0-3 Pool G)
  • NAIA Top- 25 Rank:  Indiana Wesleyan – Receiving votes   |   Missouri Valley – Receiving votes
  • Location:   Tyson Event Center   |   Sioux City, Iowa

STAT TRACKER

MATCH MOMENTS

  • Head coach Candace Moats won her 500th career match at Indiana Wesleyan. In 16 seasons with the Wildcats, Moats has led IWU to a 500-183 record.
  • In four national championship matches this season, Indiana Wesleyan won 10 sets and lost just 6.
  • Park (Mo.) and Corban (Ore.) are the top two teams to advance out of Pool G with 2-0 records prior to their match later today. Indiana Wesleyan finished third in the pool at 1-2 while Missouri Valley was fourth at 0-3.
  • Seniors Emily Workman, Morgan Miller, Tay Thomas, Katie Elson, Banner Rodgers, and Lauren Gross played their final match in a Wildcat uniform. Over the last four seasons, the Wildcats went 134-34 with three NAIA National Championship appearances and an NCCAA national championship. In that time, IWU won three Crossroads League regular season and tournament titles.

COACH MOATS SAYS…

  • On the team’s effort vs. Missouri Valley…
    “This morning at team time we talked about the two choices we had today. We can look earthbound and this match means nothing or we could look at what we’ve been working on for so long and that’s the faith of our team and the platform we want to stand for. It means everything then. We showed our passion and our talents today and we played for everything. And it was obvious that is what we decided to play for today. We had enthusiasm, fun, and we enjoyed it.”
  • On the senior class…
    “This year is the first that our senior class had to lead. I am glad they had this year to experience this because it got them a little bit more off themselves and realized there are a lot of people to inspire and lead. They knew if they wanted to have success on the court this year they were going to have to orient all of our freshmen. And off the court there is story after story that the freshmen can tell about them and how they reached out to them academically, reached out to them when they were homesick, and reached out to them looking for what was next. They really took care of them and for that I am most proud of them. On the court they are kind but inspiring. They built relationships and were patient. They will be so missed.”
  • On the 2017 season…
    “This team really grew up. Of all the teams that I have had this team understood most what it means to play collectively. God did a lot of things in my heart this year with letting go of the control and just enjoying this. When that happened there was a lot of space to see their needs and care for them. The senior really picked up on that because it was such a difference and it spread. Everyone bought into the idea that if we let go and have fun and play for the Lord then it is going to be a fun season. And it has been a really awesome season.”

UP NEXT FOR VOLLEYBALL

  • The 2017 season has come to a close for the Wildcats. IWU completed another successful campaign with a Crossroads League Tournament Championship and the program’s seventh trip to the NAIA National Championship.

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