SOUTH BEND, Ind. – For the second time in program history, Indiana University South Bend volleyball has been selected to participate in the 2019 National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) National Championship Opening Round, which was announced Monday morning by the league. The Titans travel to Madonna University on Saturday, Nov. 23.
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The 44-team event will get underway with opening round matches at campus locations, beginning on Nov. 23.
The top 19 seeds and championship host Morningside (Iowa) automatically advance to the national championship final site in Sioux City, Iowa. Action inside the Tyson Events Center starts with three days of pool play from Dec. 3-5. The top two teams in each pool will advance to the elimination bracket on Dec. 6, and the national champion will be crowned Dec. 7 with first serve set for 7 p.m. CST on ESPN3.
IU South Bend continues its record-breaking season with an overall record of 22-13, having appeared in the Chicagoland Collegiate Athletic Conference Championship for just the second time in program history as the highest seed in program history at No. 2. The Titans rolled past Saint Xavier, sweeping the Cougars on Tuesday, Nov. 12 before defeating Olivet Nazarene in the league semifinal by a score of 3-1 on Thursday, Nov. 14.
In the conference final on Saturday, Nov. 23 at No. 1 Trinity Christian, the Titans let a 2-1 advantage slip away, falling to the regular-season champions 3-2 in Palos Heights, Ill. CCAC Co-Player of the Year Hannah Marchand led all players with 19 kills to go along with 12 digs and six blocks. Sophomore McKenzie Powell garnered All-CCAC First Team honors and registered her 2,000th career assist in Saturday’s loss having dished out 40 assists against the Trolls.
Senior Samantha Hockstra and junior transfer Julie Brown rounded out the Titan conference awards as the two were tabbed to the league’s second team. The four IUSB players earning awards is the most amongst any IU South Bend volleyball team in one season.
Game time in Livonia, Mich. for the opening round is to be announced at a later date. LIVE STREAM and LIVE STATS will be available during the contest. Check back at iusbtitans.com for up-to-date information on game time and all other IUSB athletic information.
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