Brookhaven Falls in 5th to Owens CC in National Quarters
CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa – Dallas College Brookhaven's volleyball team fell to Owens Community College, 25-22, 18-25, 22-25, 25-18, 17-15, Thursday in the National Junior College Athletic Association Division III quarterfinals.
It was the 10th-seeded Bears' second five-set match of the day.
Brookhaven (14-16) fell into the consolation bracket, and will meet 11th-seeded College of DuPage 2 p.m. CT Friday. Owens (19-10) moves on to the semifinals to play No. 3 seed Century.
Caroline Simpson and Laila Beck each had 19 kills on a combined 123 attacks. Beck hit .256, and had three aces and two blocks. Simpson added 16 digs, five aces and two blocks. Madison Beasley finished with 12 kills, 18 digs and two blocks, including one solo. Jordan Bruscato had 49 assists, four aces and 14 digs. Trynity Hicks had 35 digs, and Emma Borders 21.
Lindsey Koenig had 21 kills, and Morgan McMillin 18, while hitting .283 for Owens. Michaela Hahn finished with 46 assists, seven kills and 14 digs.
The Bears had a 7-2 lead in the fifth set on an ace by Beck before Owens rallied to pull even at 11-11, following three straight Brookhaven attack errors. Beck ended the Express surge with a kill, but after Koenig had a kill, Emily Lake's ace put Owens ahead 13-12. Both sides swapped points over the next five serves – Beasley knotting the decisive set at 15-15 will a kill.
Following a service error by the Bears, Caylie Walters and McMillin combined for a match-ending block.
Brookhaven had 11 kills in the final set, while Owens put down four fewer balls, but the Bears committed seven errors, and the Express had none to seal the deal.
It is the second straight year Brookhaven won its first match at the national tournament before dropping its second.
The Bears have earned a bid to the national tournament 15 times.