ELGIN, Ill. --- The 2021 National Christian College Athletic Association (NCCAA) postseason began for the TIU women's volleyball team on Friday night as they opened up play in the North-Central region tournament at the Linder Fitness Center on the Judson University campus against Hannibal-LaGrange. Carrying the region's second-seed into the weekend, Trinity looked to punch their ticket to Saturday's championship match with a win over their opponent from Missouri.

TIU jumped out to a quick lead in the opening set and didn't look back as they posted a .458 attack percentage. Aided by a 6-0 run midway through the set, TIU crusised to a 25-14 win in the first. Hannibal-LaGrange showed their determination in the second set, drastically slowing down the Trinity offense and forcing six errors. Trinity would tie the set up at 19 all, but would struggle to contain their opponent's offense, dropping the second frame by a score of 25-23.

Still facing a tough challenge heading into the third set, TIU went to work. After Hannibal-LaGrange tied the set at 19, the Trojans pressured their opponent into longer rallies to break down their defensive sets, allowing Trinity to take a 2-1 lead on the night with a 25-22 set victory. 

TIU would start a bit slow offensively to start the fourth set, but quickly flipped the switch. Following a Madison Williams kill to give TIU a 4-3 lead, the Trojans didn't look back, recording 16 kills as a team with a .294 attack percentage. Thanks to a stifling defense up front at the net, Trinity let very few attack attempts get past their blockers as the Trojans rolled to a 25-18 win in the fourth set to complete the 3-1 victory to advance in the postseason.

Brianna Torres led the match with 23 total kills in the win, along with a pair of service aces. Williams posted 11 kills, while Matty Hawkins notched ten, as well as four blocks. Anna Skrzypchak recorded 51 assists in the victory, while Jaylyn Freeman posted 26 digs on defense.

ADDITIONAL GAME NOTES

• Trinity International improves to 4-1 all-time against Hannibal-LaGrange with their win on Friday night. It was also the first ever postseason meeting between the two programs.

• With the win, TIU advances to the NCCAA Regional Championship match for the second time in the last three seasons, and the first time since 2019. The Trojans were victorious over Judson in five-sets in their last postseason meeting.

• Head coach Luke Ward improves to 6-8 all-time in postseason matches with Trinity's win over Hannibal-LaGrange, including 2-0 in NCCAA regional tournament matches.

• Trinity picked up their 20th win of the 2021 campaign, marking the third season in the Luke Ward era (since 2015) that the Trojans have won at least 20 matches (2018, 2019).

• Senior outside hitter Brianna Torres surpassed 1,500 career kills in Friday's win, joining Dani Gisler (2003-06), Taylor Arseneau (2008-11), and Carly Yattaw (2007-09) as the only players in program to reach that milestone.

• With her 23 kills, Torres also passed Yattaw for third all-time in school history in career kills (1,521).

• Torres' two service aces give her 149 on her collegiate career, passing Chrissy Mast (2004-05) for second all-time in program history.

• Senior middle blocker Matty Hawkins earned her 1,100th career kill against Hannibal-LaGrange on Friday, becoming the seventh player in school history to reach at least 1,100 kills.

• Junior setter Anna Skrzypchak posted her 1,100th assist of the season on Friday, marking just the seventh season in which a Trinity setter has posted 1,110 assists.

• Skrzypchak recorded her fifth 50+ assist match of the season on Friday with 51 against Hannibal-LaGrange. The Trojans are 4-1 this season when their junior setter posts 50 or more assists.

• Sophomore Lana Vujosevic posted her team-best 40th service ace of the season on Friday.

UP NEXT

The Trojans (20-14) return to action tomorrow afternoon as they take on top-seeded Judson in the NCCAA Regional Championship match. The winner will receive the North-Central region's automatic berth to the NCCAA Tournament to be held December 2-4 in Point Lookout, Missouri. First serve is scheduled for 1:00pm CT at the Linder Fitness Center in Elgin, with the game being streamed LIVE on the Judson Sports Network.
 

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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.