POINT LOOKOUT, Mo. --- The Trinity International University volleyball team resumed play at the National Christian Collegiate Athletic Association (NCCAA) tournament on Friday morning, playing in their final pool play match against the Bobcats of the College of the Ozarks. Having split their first two matches to open the tournament on Thursday, a win would help TIU's chances of advancing to the semifinal round.
 
After a close start the first set, the Trojan offense switched into high gear after back-to-back service aces by Emma Gallegos, a kill by Kierra Koepke, and an error by the Bobcats bolted TIU into an early 9-6 lead. With Gallegos serving later in the first, the Trojans used a 6-0 run to fend off a Bobcat rally to win the opening frame 25-20.
 
TIU would continue to put together stretches of strong play in the as the offensive attack of Matty Hawkins and another service ace by Penina Sao put the Trojans up 14-6 in the second. The Trojans would force eight Bobcat errors in the set to take the second by a score of 25-18.
 
The dominate play continued into the third. Tied at seven all, TIU used a combination of Bobcat errors, as wells as kills from Koepke, Sara Andric, and Deb Kovalczuk to close the third set out on an 18-12 run, to finish off the three set sweep of the College of the Ozarks.
 
Koepke would end the match with a match-high 15 kills in the win, with Kovalczuk recording 12. Skyler Muramoto would account for 33 of TIU's 38 assists, while Sao notched 28 digs on defense. Another key factor for the Trojan win was their blocking ability at the net. After not allowing a single opponent block in their previous match, the Trojans repeated the act in out blocking the Bobcats 8-0 in the match.
 
Due to the Trojans and Bobcats tying in pool play, the two teams met later in the day for a one-set tiebreaker to decide the final semifinal spot. While TIU was able to hold off the Bobcats in their three set battle earlier in the morning, they struggled to slow down their opponents. The College of the Ozarks blocking game improved greatly from the morning competition, and despite a steady offense, the Trojans committed nine errors as they dropped the tiebreaking set by a score of 25-22.
 
The tiebreaker loss bring an end to a phenomenal season for the Trojans on the court. TIU ends the year with a program record 27 wins, breaking the mark of 25 victories in 2010. The Trojans also finished the year with a perfect 9-0 record in five-set matches. TIU now turns their attention to 2020, where they look to put together another successful season.

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Trinity International University is a comprehensive, national university affiliated with the Evangelical Free Church of America and located in Bannockburn, Illinois, 25 miles north of Chicago. TIU educates men and women to engage in God's redemptive work in the world by cultivating academic excellence, Christian faithfulness and lifelong learning.