No. 13 NIACC tops Southeastern in tourney opener
MASON CITY - NIACC is back in the regional title match for the second straight season.
No. 13 NIACC rallied from a 2-1 decifit to top Southeastern 3-2 in the first round of the NJCAA Region XI-B tournament Saturday afternoon in the NIACC gym.
NIACC won 23-25, 25-22, 23-25, 25-14, 15-7.
"At times, we didn't make things easier for us," NIACC coach Chris Brandt said, "but, eventually we turned things around and found our team - the team that we have built to work together and for each other.
"We will need to refocus and start stronger for the match (Sunday)."
In Saturday's semifinal, sophomore Kennedy Meister had 20 kills, 19 digs and three ace serves. Freshman Becca Steffen had 31 assists, 18 digs and 11 kills.
Also for the Lady Trojans (31-9), Bri Powers had two ace serves and seven digs, Tessa Sienknecht had 10 assists and five digs, Megan Hollander had three blocks, Kayla Lentz had 12 digs, Shelby Heston had eight kills, two blocks, three ace serves and 12 digs, Alexa Loftus had four kills and Braylee Wood had three kills and two blocks.
NIACC, which fell to Northeast CC in last year's NJCAA Region XI-B title match, faces Northeast CC in Sunday's 1 p.m. championship match. Northeast CC topped Hawkeye CC 25-17, 25-14, 25-15 in its semifinal contest on Saturday.
NJCAA Region XI-B tournament
(At Mason City)
Saturday's results
(2) NIACC 3, (7) Southeastern 2
(3) Northeast CC 3, (6) Hawkeye CC 0
Sunday's match
1 p.m. - NIACC vs. Northeast CC
Note: Top-seed Iowa Central is the host of the NJCAA Region XI-A tournament in Fort Dodge this weekend. At the regional tournaments, the highest-seeded champion earns an automatic bid to the NJCAA Division II national tournament Nov. 21-23 in Charleston, W.V. The lower-seeded champion moves to a district championship match at the NJCAA Region XVI champion on Nov. 9. The winner of the district match qualifies for the national tournament.
NIACC (31-9)
NIACC 3, Kishwaukee College 0
NIACC 3, Madison College 1
NIACC 3, Oakton CC 1
NIACC 3, Grand Rapids CC 2
Kansas City (Kan.) CC 3, NIACC 1
NIACC 3, Graceland University JV 1
NIACC 3, St. Ambrose JV 2
Marshalltown 3, NIACC 0
DMACC 3, NIACC 2
NIACC 3, Harper College 1
NIACC 3, College of DuPage 0
NIACC 3, Rock Valley College 0
RCTC 3, NIACC 1
NIACC 3, Hawkeye CC 2
NIACC 3, DCTC 0
NIACC 3, Marshalltown CC 2
NIACC 3, Central College JV 0
NIACC 3, Southwestern 0
Marshalltown CC 3, NIACC 1
NIACC 3, Southeastern 0
NIACC 3, Wartburg College JV 1
NIACC 3, Kirkwood 1
NIACC 3, Minnesota West CTC 1
NIACC 3, Dakota College-Bottineau 0
Carl Sandburg College 3, NIACC 0
NIACC 3, Anoka-Ramsey 0
NIACC 3, Northeast CC 0
Central CC-Neb. 3, NIACC 0
NIACC 3, St. Louis CC 1
NIACC 3, Williston State College 1
NDSCS 3, NIACC 1
NIACC 3, Ellsworth 0
NIACC 3, Missouri Baptist 0
NIACC 3, St. Ambrose JV B 0
NIACC 3, St. Ambrose JV 1
NIACC 3, Red River (Canada) 0
NIACC 3, Iowa Lakes 0
NIACC 3, Wartburg College JV 0
Iowa Central 3, NIACC 1
NJCAA Region XI-B tournament
NIACC 3, Southeastern 2
