Dec. 3, 2005

Columbia Wins Thriller in Quarters at 2005 NAIA Volleyball National Championship

 

SAN DIEGO, Calif. - No. 7-seeded Columbia College (Mo.) waited until the last minute to secure a spot in the semifinals at the 26^th Annual NAIA Volleyball National Championship, outlasting Houston Baptist University (Texas), 3-2.  Hosted by Point Loma Nazarene University, the tournament is being played on campus in Golden Gymnasium November 30 - December 3.  Individual game scores were 30-25, 20-30, 26-30, 30-23, 15-11.

 

One of the most experienced teams in tournament play, Columbia started with a bang, winning the first game.  The Cougars faltered the next two games to fall behind 1-2.  Rose Obunaga took control over the next two games and finished with 39 kills and added 15 digs and five blocks.  By far the most experienced team to advance to the semis, this will be Columbia's eighth trip to the semifinals having won five of the previous times.

 

Led by Nicole Westerterp, Houston Baptist was making its fourth consecutive tournament appearance.  Westerterp tallied 23 kills, nine digs and five blocks in the losing effort.  The Huskies, now 39-6, also got 12 kills from Stasia Davis.

 

Columbia, who will serve as the host of the 2006 and 2007 National Championships, will face the No. 5 seed Missouri Baptist University, which also needed five games to win its quarterfinal match against second-ranked National American University (S.D.).  The match will be played on Saturday, December 3 at 12:30 p.m. (Pacific).

 

Box Score