NIACC opens season with 2 victories
August 19, 2023

NIACC opens season with 2 victories

ROCKFORD, Ill. - The NIACC volleyball team opened the 2023 season with a pair of victories Friday at the OWT All-In Tournament.
NIACC stopped Ridgewater College 3-0 (25-20, 25-16, 25-21). The Trojans also topped Lake Land College 3-1 (22-25, 25-21, 25-14, 25-15).
It is the first time since the 2019 season that the Trojans started the season with two straight victories.
"We were very happy with the performance of this first day," NIACC coach Chris Brandt said. "We feel the team worked well to adjust to both teams when needed.
"We also pushed hard to run a fast-tempo offense. We are looking forward to applying what we learned (Friday) as we head back (Saturday) for the second day of the tournament."
Sophomore Alyssa Wickersheim led the Trojans with 25 kills, 20 digs and one ace serve. Wickersheim collected a career-high 16 kills and nine digs in the first match of the day against Ridgewater College.
Sophomore Kennedy Schwiesow had 28 digs, six assists and four ace serves.
NIACC's Iwalani Beltran had 32 assists, six ace serves and six digs and Emily Opstvedt had 25 assists, eight ace serves and 12 digs. Opstvedt collected five ace serves against Lake Land, which is the most in single match for the Trojans since Wickersheim had five aces against Carl Sandburg College on Oct. 14, 2022.
Also for the Trojans, Jaida Hansen had 10 kills and three blocks, Abbie Hyde had 21 digs and two ace serves, Addison Tabbert had three kills and two digs and Alicia Machacek had 10 kills.
NIACC's Ellie Hanna had five kills and four blocks and Kit Byars had 10 kills, six blocks, two digs and one ace serve.
NIACC returns to action Saturday at the OWT All-In Tournament with two more matches. The Trojans face Kellogg CC at 9 a.m. and Illinois Valley CC at 1 p.m.
Notes: Brandt is 1-1 against Ridgewater College and 1-0 against Lake Land College ... Wickersheim now has 222 career kills, 69 ace serves and 187 digs ... The 69 ace serves is tied for 25th on the school's career ace serve list ... Hailey Winter (2015-16) also had 69 career ace serves ... Schwiesow has 264 career digs ... Hansen has 136 career kills ... Hyde has 116 career digs ... Beltran has 172 career assists.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
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