Peter Dindinger – NMMI Sports Press
HUTCHINSON, Kan. – Together they are determined to rise.
During the NJCAA Division I volleyball tournament quarterfinals Thursday night, the New Mexico Military Institute knocked off the third-seeded Miami Dade College Sharks in four sets, 21-25, 25-23, 25-23, 25-22.
The sixth-seeded Broncos (32-4) advance to take on No. 2 Butler at 6:30 p.m. CST Friday in the final four for the semifinal match.
Miami Dade drops to 17-4 and moves to the consolation bracket.
There were eight different lead changes in the opening set.
The Sharks held a 4-3 lead early on before Dana Manu tied up the score.
NMMI used the momentum to take a 6-5 advantage but Miami Dade regained the lead by four points.
A kill by Laila Bernardino and an ace by Mio Yamamoto helped cut the deficit down to two.
The Broncos led by one point twice down the stretch but Miami Dade prevented them from pulling away.
Miami Dade used a 3-0 run to gain some breathing room with a 17-14 lead.
NMMI fought back within two with another ace by Yamamoto.
Unfortunately, the Sharks held their own to take the opening game 25-21.
The Broncos came out the second set on a 3-0 run. The lead grew to five points with a kill by Katarzyna Niderla.
Miami Dade never led the entire set, nor were there any ties in the score.
NMMI got some clutch kills from Marian Ovalle, Karya Suvariouglu and Manu to keep the lead and momentum.
The Sharks cut the deficit down to one late in the set but the Broncos were able to prevail to tie the match.
There were four lead changes to begin the third set before NMMI pulled away to a 6-4 lead.
Miami Dade clawed back into the set to take a 9-8 lead. A service ace by Niderla tied up the score at 11-all.
NMMI held the lead twice in the middle of the set until the Sharks took a 19-16 lead.
A pair of kills by Niderla and Ovalle cut the deficit down to one.
Each team engaged in four ties toward the end of the set. A kill by Suvariouglu gave the Broncos a 24-23 lead which ultimately allowed them to notch the win to take a 2-1 lead.
Miami Dade held the early 1-0 lead to start the fourth set, which evaporated quickly as NMMI pulled ahead to a 3-1 lead after an ace by Niderla.
The Sharks never held the lead again.
NMMI powered ahead to lead 10-4 with a kill by Barbara Guedes Rezende.
Continuing to hold onto a six-point lead after a kill tallied by Manu, the Sharks began to creep back into the set by cutting the deficit to four.
Each time the Sharks gained some momentum, NMMI answered back by taking a seven-point lead.
Miami Dade kept it close down the stretch, trailing by as little as two points, but the Broncos were once again able to come out on top by taking the 25-22 set victory to win the match in four.
Ovalle and Niderla combined for 30 kills. Ovalle finished with 20 kills, 14 digs and five block assists while Niderla had 10 kills, two service aces and five block assists.
Manu finished with eight kills and 10 digs.
Defensively, the Broncos finished with 83 digs. Yamamoto led the way with 25 digs. At the net, Rezende added with eight block assists.
Jalen Baca chipped in with 10 digs while Rezende had seven.