Kansas City
17-11,12-4WAC
UNLV
20-10,15-3MWC
Volleyball Stumbles in First Round of NIVC
12/5/2019 7:46:00 PM | Volleyball
Roos' Historic Season Comes to an End in the Postseason
VERMILLION, S.D. - In the first postseason appearance in program history, the Kansas City volleyball team fought tooth and nail. The Roos took the first set from UNLV, but were unable to contain momentum, falling 3-1 (23-25, 25-20, 25-23, 25-13) in the first round of the NIVC.
In the absence of senior middle Mykal Sadler, sophomore Mimi Dunda was called upon to fill a large role. She earned the first start of her collegiate career, after appearing in just four sets prior to Thursday's match. Her presence made an impact on the court, finishing with four kills on .571 hitting and adding four blocks to the mix.
"Mimi did everything we asked of her and more tonight," Head Coach Christi Posey said. "She has worked extremely hard this season and she made the most of her opportunity."
The Roos and Rebels went toe-to-toe in the first set, trading points back and forth. Despite being outhit, four aces and four blocks led the Roos to a 25-23 first set victory.
Highlights courtesy of South Dakota Athletics
From there, the Rebels showed why they were the best serving team in the Mountain West this season, sending across ten aces in the final two sets. UNLV's Mariena Hayden ended the match with seven aces, six of which came in the final set. That, paired with the vicious attack of Hayden and Alison French, gave the Rebels the edge.
"We knew UNLV was a good team with capable hitters," Posey said. "They are well balanced and played well. It certainly wasn't one of our better matches of the year. We struggled offensively a bit; I just felt like we weren't in great rhythm for most of the match."
Melanie Brecka led the Roos, finishing with her fifth double-double of the season. The 2019 Second Team All-Western Athletic Conference honoree gave the Rebels fits, sending across 12 kills and digging up 10 attacks.Â
In the final match of their careers, Ty Lukes and Alicia Harrington showed why they were honored by the WAC this season as well. Lukes led the Roos in the first set, throwing down five kills on just six attacks. She ended the match with eight, adding two blocks to boot.Â
Following an incredible performance in the WAC Tournament, it was obvious that Harrington was the focal point of the Rebels' defensive efforts. Despite that, she ended the match with 11 kills, while serving up two aces and eight digs.
The Roos end their historic 2019 campaign at 17-12, their second winning season in a row and seventh in the last eight years. Of the 12 losses, 10 came to AVCA Top 100 squads and three came to Top 50 teams. The Roos' best stretch of volleyball came from Oct. 31 to Nov. 14, when they rattled off five wins in a row, dropping just three sets along the way.
The season is capped off with Kansas City's first-ever postseason appearance, earning a bid to the 32-team NIVC. The showing was a huge milestone for the Roos, and one that is sure to give the program momentum moving forward.
"We certainly were grateful for the chance to represent the Kansas City community and our University," Posey said. "My hope is that this exposure elevates our program across the region and throughout the country. It's an important first step to have an expectation of playing in the postseason, and next time to go deeper into the tournament."
