Classic Comeback Vaults IWC Volleyball Team Into National Tournament

BOURBONNAIS, Ill. –  Two courageous comebacks equaled one national tournament berth for the Iowa Wesleyan College volleyball team this weekend in the Region VII Tournament at McHie Arena. The third-seeded Tigers rallied from a 2-games-to-1 deficit to knock off top seed and 16th-ranked (NAIA) Olivet Nazarene University 22-30, 30-27, 17-30, 30-26 and 15-9 on ONU’s home court Saturday afternoon in the Region VII championship.

The Tigers’ eighth consecutive victory vaults them into the NAIA National Tournament for the second consecutive year. The national tournament will be held Nov. 30-Dec. 3 at Point Loma Nazarene University in San Diego, Calif. The Tigers (22-9) landed their first-ever national tournament berth last season.

“The girls were great. They were fantastic,” said IWC first-year coach Brian Dickens. “This is a fantastic accomplishment for a great group of kids. I’ve been saying that all year long. We got no respect all year and today we earned it.”

ONU (31-18), ranked No. 1 in Region VII for most of the season, had won 10 consecutive matches before colliding with the Tigers.

The Tigers pulled off their second comeback in as many days. IWC charged back from a 2-0 deficit in Friday’s semifinal against No. 2 seed Trinity International University and took the final three games. The Tigers faced another uphill battle Saturday after ONU seemed to have control of the match with a convincing Game 3 win and a 2-1 lead in games.

“We just started pushing,” said Dickens. “That says a lot about these kids’ character. Adversity doesn’t create character, it reveals it. The girls showed their character today.”

It was the third time this season IWC and ONU battled to a fifth and deciding game. The teams split the two previous meetings. IWC improved its record to 5-1 in five-game matches this season.

IWC senior middle hitter Luren Baylon (Lima, Peru) and senior setter Tina Kruckenberg (Iowa Falls, IA) were tabbed to the All-Region Team. Baylon was voted Region Player of the Year while Dickens was named Coach of the Year. Baylon capped a phenomenal regional tournament with 31 kills and 16 digs against ONU. The powerful 6-foot-1 striker registered 100 kills in three regional matches, averaging a whopping 7.14 kills per game. Baylon tallied a school-record 39 kills in the semifinal match.

Kruckenberg delivered 188 assists in the tournament, including 54 in the title tilt. She averaged 13.4 assists per game in tournament play.The Tigers collected 118 digs against ONU. Amanda Kruger (McLean, IL) fielded a team-best 27 digs while Michelle Sieler (Newton, IA) and Amber Riley (Mount Pleasant, IA) added 24 and 20 digs, respectively. Sieler also contributed 11 kills. Kruger chipped in seven kills, Jenny Harris (Lake City, IA) had six kills and Tiffany Bauer (Naperville, IL) posted a team-high four blocks.

For more information regarding the IWC volleyball program or any of the Tiger athletic teams, contact sports information director Kerry Kahl (319-385-6306 phone; 319-385-6384 FAX; kkahl@iwc.edu e-mail) or log on to IWC's web page at www.iwc.edu.