NIACC volleyball team opens season with pair of wins

ST. CLOUD, Minn. - The NIACC volleyball team opened the season with a pair of wins Friday at the St. Cloud Technical and CC tournament.

The Lady Trojans topped Dakota College-Bottineau 25-16, 25-20, 25-13 and downed Mesabi Range CTC 25-16, 25-27, 25-20, 25-16.

Against Dakota College-Bottineau, Kaylee Whittington led the way with 10 kills, six digs, three assists and three ace serves. Meagan Miller had nine kills and seven digs.

Also for the Lady Trojans, Hailey Winter had 11 assists with four digs and two ace serves. Jackie Bleifus had 10 assists and six digs.

Against Mesabi Range CTC, Miller had 24 kills, Whittington had six kills, Keely Heller had six kills and Aubury Coleman had five kills. Bleifus had a career-high 25 assists and Winter had 25 assists.

NIACC returns to action Saturday at the St. Cloud Technical and CC tournament. The Lady Trojans plays Dakota County Technical College at 11:30 a.m. and face St. Cloud Technical and CC at 1 p.m.

Notes: NIACC coach Chris Brandt is 2-0 all-time vs. Dakota College-Bottineau and is 2-2 all-time vs. Mesabi Range ... Last season in the season-opening tournament in St. Cloud, Minn., the Lady Trojans topped Dakota College-Bottineau 3-0 and lost to Mesabi Range 3-1.