2011 NAIA Volleyball National Tournament
Day 1 - 11/27/2011
The trip got underway on Sunday afternoon and started off
slow. Traffic was the story of the day, as we ran into heavy congestion along
the way from Highway 70 all the way through Kansas City. After getting into
Kansas, the ride was smooth and without interruption. As the bus pulled into
the New Victorian Inn at just after midnight, the hotel staff greeted the team with a gift bag filled with several items made and sold in the Sioux City Area.
Overall, the first leg of the trip broke down as
follows…five movies, two boxes of cheese-its, one bag of barbeque chips,
one bag of kettle-cooked popcorn, one vegetable tray, and several Gatorades.
After it was all said and done, the bus had been through two cities hosting an
NFL home game over the course of the 10-hour drive.
Monday - Morning practice followed by the National
Championship Banquet in the evening.
More to follow...
#Spartans#
Day 2 - 11/28/2011
8:45 a.m. - It's just before 9:00 a.m. and the team is stirring. The Spartans along with the Point Loma Nazarene Sea Lions (Calif.) are both staying at the New Victorian Inn and there is an excitement in the air.
It is a blustery 16 degrees this morning in Sioux City and the temps are expected to rise to as high as 50 degrees this afternoon.
Sioux City Fun Fact of the Day: Sioux City is the fourth largest city in the state behind Des Moines, Cedar Rapids and Davenport.
2:45 p.m. - We just got back from today's practice and are getting our first chance to rest today prior to tonight's banquet. It was a good day and had the opportunity to see the Tyson Center, where the championships will take place. Several teams were on-hand for their practice slot, including University of Texas at Brownsville, who is also in the Missouri Baptist Pool.
After practice, a little fun ensued when the team was in front of the video camera. The NAIA shot video of each team to be played at tonight's banquet. As usual, the MBU ladies had a lot of fun and are sure to get a few laughs at the event.
The team left for lunch at Panera and then back to the hotel for some much needed rest. Before heading back to their room, senior Jessica Bowman and freshman Madeline Nesbit sat down and shared their thoughts on the trip thus far...
How about that ride in... It took a while to get here with all of the traffic, but it was great to finally arrive at the hotel and start to prepare for tomorrow night. We have been on the road so much, so it's nothing new. We are so prepared to play on the road, after we spent almost all season in different gyms. Coming here is nothing new to us. There isn't any pressure on the team, but it's a new experience. We have come this far and there is nothing to lose.
We have spent the entire season preparing and then with Thanksgiving break, it felt like it took forever for this to happen. Some of us have been waiting four years for a chance to come here, so it's time to get to work. We have been pretty relaxed so far.
Even on the bus coming in, everyone was calm. Lucy (Ford) and Katie (Povis) definitely put easy cheese in some of the cupcakes, but everyone survived. Luckily we didn't get stuck with one! We did, however, get stuck watching weird chick flicks that coach Yehling chose. Made the drive even longer!!!
We are definitely looking forward to our slide show video tonight before the banquet, but afterward its really time to get focused. We play Fresno Pacific, who is the four-time defending national champion tomorrow night. We know our game plan and who their weapons are. The thing is that Columbia was very similar. We are confident in our approach and though they have won for the past four years, that just means that we know more about them than they do about us. We are hoping for an edge, but they are good. We just want to put our best effort out on the court and we will be happy in the end. ~ M. Nesbit/J. Bowman
#Spartans#
Day 3 - 11/29/2011
8:56 a.m. - The first day of competition is finally here and the local NBC affiliate just did a story on the tournament. Sioux City has been very supportive of the tournament and we expect several exciting matches today when competition begins at 1:00 p.m.
The week got kicked-off in a great way last night with the banquet. The NAIA has done a tremendous job of putting the tournament together and the banquet was another example of the class and professionalism displayed.
The team entered the Sioux City Convention Center dressed to impress, along with the other 23 teams. The Spartans definitely enjoyed themselves, taking pictures with Santa Claus and his helper
CLICK HERE, in addition to jumping in the photo booth to take some fun pictures.
All totaled, the Spartans were honored for three Scholar Athletes and their Champion of Character honoree, Lucy Ford.
This morning is another cold one, with temps again in the mid-teens.
Sioux City Fun Fact of the Day: The first documented explorers to record their travels through this area were the Americans Meriwether Lewis and William Clark during the summer of 1804.
4:00 p.m. - We are now three hours into pool play and it has been exciting so far. The after lunch at Quiznos, the team returned to the hotel to rest before tonight's match. Later, Katie Povis and Tracey Abell will sit down and share their thoughts about the national championship experience and how close the team has become.
Right now, Coach Yehling and Coach Nichols are both at the Tyson Center scouting out the competition. In the first set of matches, Spartan rival and fifth-seed, Columbia College, rolled in a three-set victory over Point Loma (Calif.). So far, so good for the AMC. Top-seeded Concordia also breezed through its first match against Kansas Wesleyan in straight sets. Currently, Biola (Calif.) Leads Spring Hill 2-0.
In the next set of matches, set to begin at 5:45 p.m., we will get our first look at Pool B which will feature University of Texas at Brownsville against MidAmerica Nazarene.
For live stats for the Spartans and all other teams, CLICK HERE
6:50 p.m. - And away we go... We just got our first look at the rest of Pool B andUT Brownsville comes as advertised. The Scorpions quickly dispatched of the MidAmerica Nazarene Pioneers 3-0. The Spartans are going to need their A-Game this week, but the team looks focused. In just minutes, the Spartans will begin pre-game activities. Don't forget to catch the live stats at the above link.
10:42 p.m. - Difficult loss tonight after a week filled with high hopes, but even after disappointment, the Spartans stayed positive and looked forward to tomorrow. Casey Chernin, Katie Povis and Tracey Abell sat down to talk about their thoughts on the trip so far...
This tournament is so fun because it is so difficult to compete in. It's a mental game at this point and mistakes are hard to overcome. You have to let the other team make mistakes and take control more quickly; there is no room to play safe.
Coming into the tournament, we were so excited and our goal was to win. We laid out all of our goals in a meeting... Unity, Play as a Team and to win nationals. Though we had a setback, we still will pursue this goal of ours to win.
It has been such a long season and we have developed so many close relationships. All of those away matches kind of sealed that. We have so much free time, which is completely different than normal. We work on our homework and we always finish it, but when you have this much free time, we get distracted. Casey, Katie, Megan, Kaitlyn, Jessica, Lucy and Justine all started drawing pictures all day, just to have something to do.
Tomorrow is another day, and we have to make sure that we are ready. We have played Brownsville before and we got to see them play today. It's more comfortable to know what you are up against. They are a really good team, they hit hard and they are scrappy. We have to come out with the mindset that this is our last chance. We have confidence in every individual to do what is necessary to get the job done at this level.
In order to have success, we need to find ways to stay occupied and focused. There is not a single girl on this team that does not contribute, so if we just go out there and have fun, we can cut down on mistakes and play our game. ~ C. Chernin/K. Povis/T. Abell
That's all for tonight from Sioux City. Tomorrow, as they say, is another day and you can't deny that if any team knows how to rebound, it's this one!
#Spartans#
Day 4 - 11/30/2011
9:45 a.m. - It's another morning in Sioux City and after a long day yesterday, the team is taking its time this morning before getting moving. The Point Loma team is eating breakfast downstairs and the Spartans are in their rooms getting some needed rest after the longest day of competition thus far.
Today, the team plays at 5:45 p.m. against the 27-2 University of Texas at Brownsville. Prior to today's match, the team will head to the Tyson Event Center to watch some of the pool play and get their official team picture taken.
Today in Sioux City, the temperature is 29 degrees and is expected to get up to 50. A bit cold, but overall, not bad for the end of November in Iowa.
Sioux City Fun Fact of the Day: Tyson Fresh Meats is located in Sioux City and is the city's largest employer, with over 4,000 employees.
4:30 p.m. - After lunch at Little Chicago Deli downtown, the team is now over at the Tyson Event Center, watching matches as they prepare for tonight's match at 5:45 p.m. in the mean time, Sara Mohesky, Lucy Ford and Megan Moore sat down to share some of their thoughts on the week thus far...
This trip is definitely different than any that we have taken so far. After last night's game, it's clear that we played a little hesitant. It was such a long day, so it was difficult on everyone.
Road trips are different. You are around everyone for much longer, which has its positives and negatives. This setting is so different though. Some of us have never played club or been in this type of a situation. We know how good these teams are that are here and we want to prove that we belong. We want to make sure that everyone knows that we are more than just the team that beat Columbia College at the end of the season. We are a serious competitor.
In terms of expectations, they definitely went up. We expect more of ourselves at this point of the season. The teams that are here are about what we expected them to all be. The thing is that we don't have to be better than what we have displayed this season. After beating Columbia, we know that if we play to that level, we can beat any team here. No exceptions.
The waiting is the hardest thing. We would rather be here (Tyson Center) than the hotel. At least we are doing something here. The thing is, that the more time we have to wait, the more time we have to think about our next match.
Sara - The waiting is something that I'm used to this season, but I did get to play when Stuckel went down against Park in the AMC Semifinal. It was scary, but it was one of the best nights of the season. I wanted to play, but not bad enough to where I could hurt the team. It was such a relief to get that first assist on the first play.
Tonight will be a lot of fun. We took a game from them (Brownsville) and we are stronger than what we were at the beginning of the season when we played them. After last night, we hope that they will not be prepared for the game, and that is definitely to our advantage.
Megan and Lucy - It's our last tournament and a great way to end things here. We will try to play competitively next year, but nothing is certain. We try not to think of it. We have thought of getting a rec league team together next year, and that would be great. We are just focused on what is right in front of us now. ~ M. Moore/L.Ford/S. Mohesky
9:30 p.m. - Another difficult loss tonight, this time at the hands of the second-seed in the tournament. The team, however, was surprisingly upbeat. A very reflective Spartan team emerged from the locker room and realized all they had accomplished over the long season.
After the match, the team went to the home of local sponsor, Dave Ferris. Mr. Ferris invited the team and all parents/fans to his beautiful home for pizza. What a wonderful way to end the evening.
The team was knocked-out tonight and will still need to play one more match before heading home on Friday. The team played a great match tonight and knew that they had put a real scare into the tournament favorite. Missouri Baptist did not win this week, at least not yet. This team has shown us, however, that winning is definitely not everything. The way that the team carried itself on and off the court was a real testament to the people that make-up the team.
These women have shown what it is to be a truly great college athlete in today's world. Respectful, focused and always thinking of the betterment of the team, every member of the 2011 volleyball squad showed what Missouri Baptist is all about. They earned a reputation as being gracious in defeat and respectful in victory. This is a team that we can all be truly proud of, because they did it the right way. Missouri Baptist University has a lot to be proud of with this team.
Tomorrow night, the team will face MidAmerica Nazarene. Both teams have been mathematically eliminated, but will play for pride.
Tomorrow will be our last day of blogging and we hope that everyone has enjoyed being a part of the journey with us. On this second to last night, we have the thoughts of two of the younger Spartans. Laura King and Molly DeClue gave us their impression of this week and what is next for Missouri Baptist volleyball...
This experience has been great, even though its our first time. We have both done this type of thing in club, but nothing at this level. The teams are so good, so there are no breaks.
This is also the first time we have spent this much time together. Usually we are going to practice, coming back and then going to the match. This time it's different, but fun.
We started out with two top teams, but we were very well prepared. We came here to play the best and that is exactly what we have been able to do. These teams are the best of the best and its cool to see them all in one spot.
Tonight was definitely our favorite part of the trip. Having complete strangers invite us into their home and to treat us like family was amazing. Also, the team had a chance to bond in a way that we have not had in the past. This was a great memory that we will have for a long time. Tonight reminded us that it's not all about volleyball. We are here for each other, and not just to win.
When we go back to campus, we are expecting to have people say "sorry that you lost," but they will welcome us back with open arms. We are so proud of our accomplishments this season and can hold our heads high when we get back. We beat Columbia College, which was a goal of ours. We know that we deserved to be here this week, and that is all that matters.
Next year will be an entirely new team. The returners are all so close and we all get along, but the experience that we have gained this year is invaluable. Next year, we will need to be leaders. Even though there will be upper-classmen coming in, we know that once they see us play and our work ethic, that we will earn respect of both our new teammates and the rest of the NAIA.
We don't feel that we need to live up to the same expectations, but we know that we want the same goals. We want to come back and show that we are talented enough to do it again. ~ L. King/M. DeClue
#Spartans#
10:00 a.m. -After a second difficult evening of volleyball, the Spartans will play this evening for the final time this season. Today, the team will head to Famous Dave's for a barbeque lunch followed by a short trip to the local mall.
Tonight, the team will head to local chicken restaurant, Sneaky's, for dinner prior to the 8:00 p.m. tilt with MidAmerica Nazarene.
It is currently 34 degrees and the temperature is not expected to get much higher. As December rolls in, so does the cold here in Iowa.
Sioux City Fun Fact of the Day: Sioux City is at the navigational head of the Missouri River, about 95 miles north of the Omaha-Council Bluffs metropolitan area. Sioux City and the surrounding areas of northwestern Iowa, northeastern Nebraska and southeastern South Dakota are sometimes referred to as Siouxland, especially by the local media.
10:30 p.m. - The final match of the season was tonight and Missouri Baptist came up just short. The team left it all out on the court and though they lost, did Missouri Baptist proud this week.
Tonight, after the match, Kaitlyn Gunkel, Lauren Stuckel and Justine Host added their thoughts after the match and reflected on the season...
This trip was a great experience for the seniors, especially. Knowing that even though this experience is over, our friendship is not, is very important to us.
Overall on the trip, we had a great time with out room mates. It's nice that when we get back to the room, we don't dwell on the negative things that have happened. We can remain positive and still have a good time.
Now that we are done, it will be alot different. We (Lauren and Kaitlyn) are both going to coach and we are hoping to stay together to play in an adult league together. Some of us are graduating, and will now have to focus on the real world. For the rest of us, we still have some school left. It will definitely be a switch.
For the rest of our lives, we can always remember that we won the conference when no one gave us a chance to do so. We came into their building and earned the right to be there. That is the most important thing. We didn't want to just back-in to the tournament. We earned our spot and we beat one of the best teams in the country to do so. Definitely the best part of the season. ~ K. Gunkel/J. Host, L. Stuckel
#Spartans
