SIOUX CITY, Iowa (JimmieAthletics.com) – The eighth-ranked University of Jamestown volleyball team did not let a 17-day layoff affect their play Tuesday, as the Jimmies opened up pool play with a 3-1 victory over Xavier (La.) Tuesday afternoon at the NAIA Women’s Volleyball Championship presented by Mariott South Sioux City Riverfront.
The Jimmies had not played since defeating College of Saint Mary (Neb.) in the Great Plains Athletic Conference postseason championship on November 16, and were one of 20 teams to receive a bye to the final site.
Jamestown (30-4) won the first two sets 25-18 and 25-22 to take a 2-0 lead. However, Xavier posted leads of 7-5, 11-5, and 15-10 in the third set until the Jimmies were able to close the gap to 15-13. A service ace by Hannah Schiele (SO/Jamestown, N.D.) brought UJ level at 23, but the Gold Nuggets took the final two points for a 25-23 set win.
In the fourth set, Xavier went ahead 10-8 before a Britta Knudson (SR/Bismarck, N.D.) kill ignited a 6-0 run to give Jamestown a 14-10 lead. The Gold Nuggets would win the next point to get within three at 14-11, but UJ finished the set with 11 of the final 17 points to seal the victory.
Knudson led four Jimmies in double figures with 14 kills while hitting .565 in the match. Taylor Sabinash (SO/Kensal, N.D.) (11 kills, .474 hitting), Ellie Michaletz (JR/Aitkin, Minn.) (10 kills, .217 hitting), and Corina Ruud (JR/Breezy Point, Minn.) (10 kills, .280 hitting) were also in double figures. Isabel Wedell (SR/Ellendale, N.D.) added eight kills on .261 hitting.
Miranda Lowman (SR/Mandan, N.D.) passed out a career-high 30 assists while Jackie Meiklejohn (SO/Dickey, N.D.) posted a double-double of 20 assists and 12 kills.
Jamestown outdug Xavier 77-62, led by Schiele’s 19 digs. Anna Holen (SO/LaMoure, N.D.) added 16 digs and Sydney Ellingson (JR/Langdon, N.D.) totaled 14.
UJ outhit Xavier .259-.142, including .308-.114 in the fourth set.
The Gold Nuggets (31-7) were led by Ema Causevic’s 11 kills, followed by Kayla Black with 10 and Bria Mayes with nine. Jennifer Torres had team-high 15 digs and Eva Le Gillou finished with 21 assists.
The Jimmies play Westmont (Ca.) Wednesday at 2 p.m. while Xavier matches up against No. 9 Columbia (Mo.) at 4 p.m.
Photo credit: Cynthia Potter, Columbia College (Mo.)