Jennies Season Ends in NCAA Regional

KEARNEY, Neb. (Dec. 5, 2019) - Central Missouri Jennies Volleyball fell at the hands of No. 2 seed Minnesota Duluth Thursday afternoon in the NCAA Central Region Tournament. The Jens finished the year at 23-10 after the 3-1 loss (23-25, 25-23, 11-25, 19-25) to the Bulldogs.

How it Happened
• The Bulldogs hit .280 with 69 kills while the Jennies had just 44 and hit .176 for the match.
• UCM did have 13 blocks to the Bulldogs six, but it wasn't enough to make up the difference.
• Minnesota Duluth outscored the Jennies 7-0 on service aces.
• Defensively, UMD picked up 70 digs to UCM's 46.
• Central Missouri got off to a slow start in set one. The Bulldogs scored seven of the first eight points and led 7-1. The Jennies fought back and continued to chip away at the Bulldog lead. A block by Hannah Engelken and Hannah VanBuskirk brought UCM within a point, 23-22, but UMD held off the Jennies comeback and took set one, 25-23. 
• The Jennies again got down early, 5-2, but roared back with four straight to take their first lead, 6-5. After back-to-back kills from Ally Offerdahl and Hannah Engelken, the Jens led by four, 11-7. UCM pushed the lead to as much as seven, 17-10 before the Bulldogs rallied back. UMD used a 12-5 run and came all the way back to tie at 22. At set point, 24-23, the Jens got a kill from Audrey Fisher and answered their two-point loss, with a two-point win, 25-23 to even the match.
• The third set was all Bulldogs. Leading by one, 5-4, UMD scored four straight to get out to a 9-4 lead and force a Jennies timeout. Things snowballed from there as the Bulldogs took set the third set 25-11.
• Set four was a tight battle throughout. Neither team led by more than two points through most of the frame. The Jennies scored two straight to take a 14-13 lead. The Bulldogs answered by scoring four straight and getting on top by three, 17-14. Duluth led the rest of the way, keeping UCM at arm's length and took set four and the match 25-19.

Jennies Stat Leaders
• Hannah Engelken led UCM with 10 kills and seven blocks.
• Ally Offerdahl filled out the box score with 38 assists, eight digs and six blocks.
• Audrey Fisher added nine kills and four blocks.
• Rylee Neigenfind landed eight kills with seven digs.
• Jackie Storm led the defense with 13 digs.
• Hannah VanBuskirk and Sydney Lierz chipped in with seven kills apiece.

For the Bulldogs
• Abby Thor put down a game-high 18 kills and hit .593.
• Meredith Sutton added 16 more kills.
• Kate Berg had a double-double with 13 kills and 11 digs.
• Emily Balts passed out 58 assists and added 13 digs.
• Keena Seiffert had a game-high 22 digs.

News and Notes
• It was deja vu for Central Missouri who also lost in the NCAA Regional Quarterfinals to Minnesota Duluth in 2018. Even the seeds were the same with the Bulldogs #2 and the Jennies #7.
• Ally Offerdahl moved into ninth place all-time in assists. Her 1,345 assists this season are the most for a Jennie since Julia Bates in 2013.
• Hannah VanBuskirk surpassed 100 career blocks.
• Central Missouri is now 39-39 all-time in NCAA post season games and 0-4 against Minnesota Duluth. 
• Hannah Engelken's 10 kills give her double-digit kills in 10 matches this season. 
• Audrey Fisher will finish the year hitting .359 and as the MIAA leader in hitting percentage. The second Jennies in the last three years to lead the league in that category but just the fourth since 1982.