Student Prince Volleyball Riding into NCAA Semifinals

The Heidelberg College Student Prince volleyball team have rode through the 2008 season on the saying that “princes ride together” and that phrase held true in the regional quarterfinal round of the 2008 NCAA Division III Volleyball Championship. The fourth seeded Berg worked together and rode an 8-0 run in set five to post a 15-7 set and match victory (25-22, 20-25, 27-29, 25-19, 15-7) over fifth seeded Hope College.
 
The win moves the Berg into the semifinal round of the eight-team Wisconsin-Oshkosh Regional hosted by the University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh in the Kolf Sports Center in Oshkosh, Wisc. Heidelberg will take on the winner of Lakeland College and the host Titans at 7:00 p.m. central standard time on Friday, November 14. It is the second-straight season that the Berg has extended its season into the semifinals of the NCAA Championship.
 
Overall the Berg, under the guidance of ninth-year head coach Jason Miller, continued to extend its record for wins in a season to 31 compared to just seven setbacks. Hope concludes its season at 26-7.
 
Heidelberg and Hope both took time getting adjusted to the court in set one, battling back and forth through the first five points. Trailing 7-5, Heidelberg came alive and scored five-straight points to take a 10-7 lead, forcing a Hope timeout. Hope eventually knotted the set at 12-12 and set in motion a streak of four ties and three lead changes. Venessa Haase (Miamisburg, Ohio / Miamisburg) tied the set at 21-21 with a kill. Audra Vucic (Lancaster, Ohio / Fisher Catholic) followed Haase and gave the lead for good to the Berg. The Berg went on to hold on for a 25-22 win.
 
In set two Heidelberg held an early 3-1 lead, but Hope came from behind to tie the score at 9-9 and added a kill to overtake the scoreboard. Vucic put down a kill and Brittany Donelan (North Olmsted, Ohio / North Olmsted) followed with a service ace to give the Berg a 12-11 advantage. Hope responded on the ensuing rally and followed with two more points to take the lead it would never relinquish. Heidelberg tied the set on three occasions but could never overtake the Dutch, losing 25-20.
 
The heated battle between Heidelberg and Hope continued into set three. Haase picked up a kill to give the Berg a 24-21 lead, but the Dutch scored three-straight to begin an extended set. Hope outlasted the Berg through four ties and posted the 29-27 win.
 
Jackie Reinhart (New Riegel, Ohio / New Riegel) came alive in set four, pacing the Berg from the onset. She picked up back-to-back kills to give the Berg a 10-9 lead. Hope answered with a kill, but to no surprise Reinhart came back with a kill from the right side and set the Berg on track for an eventual 25-19 win.
 
Heidelberg finished with a balanced attack led by Emily Hurlburt’s (St. Mary’s, Ohio / Memorial) 14 kills in 32 attacks with just two errors for a .375 attack percentage. Backing Hurlburt was Haase with 13 kills followed by Reinhart and Vucic with 12 and 10, respectively. Morgan Magers (Green Springs, Ohio / Old Fort) dished out 43 assists, while adding 13 digs for a double-double. Also seeing double on the night was Haase with 14 digs and Reinhart with 11 dug attacks.
 
Donelan led the back row with 28 digs and Vucic led the defense at the net with five blocks. Donelan also added to the scoring with four service aces and Natalie Beck (Monroeville, Ohio / Monroeville) added two aces.
 
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