The Dixie Sun

Issue date: 11/16/09 Section: Sports

Media Credit: Adam Matcalf Senior outside hitter Katie Luna, an integrated studies major from Mesa, Ariz., dives over sophomore libero Jayci Jeffress, a general education major from Brighton, Colo. The volleyball team finished the season on a four-game winning streak.

A breakout season ended in disappointment Sunday as Dixie State College's women's volleyball team was passed over by the NCAA Division II National Tournament selection committee and will not be playing in the championships.

DSC closed out its season with two road wins last weekend, clinching second place in the Pacific West Conference for the Red Storm. The late surge was not enough to land the Red Storm a slot in the postseason tournament.

Despite an 18-7 overall record and a 12-4 PacWest record, DSC was not selected to the NCAA Division II National Tournament. The only team from the PacWest to make the tournament was Hawaii Hilo. UHH received an automatic bid for winning the PacWest. Earlier this season, the Red Storm handed the 25-1 Vulcans their only loss.

"We absolutely deserve to be there," said senior setter Chelsi Dewitt, an integrated studies major from Mesa, Ariz. "Our team did a great job this year, and we worked really hard hoping that we would make it in. Our biggest regret was losing to HPU and to BYU-Hawaii (earlier this year)."

Dewitt said Dixie did some great things this year despite missing postseason play.

"You can't take it back and because it happened, you have to live with it," Dewitt said. "But I sleep better at night knowing that we did beat Hawaii-Hilo, the number one team in our conference. We are the only loss on their record."

The Red Storm spikers won in dramatic comeback fashion Friday after dropping its first two sets to Academy of Art University. The Red Storm rallied and won the next three sets (23-25, 28-30, 25-15, 25-20, 15-12).

"We didn't play very well the first two games," head coach Gregg Jensen said. "AAU played way better than they ever have against us and it was kind of a surprise. They ended up winning the first two (games), but then our girls realized what was on the line."

Jensen said freshman middle blocker Madisyn Fitzgerald really stepped up and turned things around Friday for the Red Storm. She racked up a career high 20 kills and also tacked on two solo blocks.

Continued...

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