NIACC goes 3-1 at OWT All-In Tourney

ROCKFORD, Ill. - The NIACC volleyball team split a pair of matches Saturday at the OWT All-In Tournament.

NIACC (3-1) topped Kellogg CC 3-2 in its opening match. The Trojans won 19-25, 21-25, 25-20, 25-21, 15-7.

In its second match on Saturday, the Trojans dropped a 3-1 decision to Illinois Valley CC, which won 25-19, 26-24, 15-25, 25-22.

"Opening weekend proves to be an amazing opportunity of growth as well as a chance for us to understand the level of play we will consistently see," NIACC coach Chris Brandt said. "We saw lots of positives from our team this weekend and it is a solid foundation to challenge ourselves to take that next step forward."

Against Kellogg CC, the Trojans dropped the first two sets and rallied to win the final three sets to improve to 3-0 for the first time since 2019. The Trojans began the 2023 season with a pair of victories on Friday.

It is the first time the Trojans have won a five-set match after dropping the first two sets since topping the Grand View Junior Varsity on Oct. 8 of 2022. The Trojans won four 3-2 matches in the 2022 season.

Sophomore Alyssa Wickersheim collected a career-best 19 kills.

Also for the Trojans, sophomore Iwalani Beltran had 24 assists and 15 digs, which matched her career-best. Freshman Emily Opstvedt had 14 assists and nine digs.

NIACC's Kennedy Schwiesow had a career-best 22 digs, a career-high nine assists and a career-best four ace serves. Kit Byars had six blocks, which is the most in a single match since Kyla Moore had five against Metropolitan CC on Oct. 14, 2022.

In the two matches Saturday, Wickersheim had 28 kills, 24 digs, eight ace serves and two blocks. Jaida Hansen had 16 kills, five digs and four blocks.

Wickersheim now has 76 career ace serves, which ranks 20th on the school's career ace serve list.

Also for the Trojans, Abbie Hyde had 17 digs and three assists, Schwiesow had 35 digs, 13 assists and six ace serves, Addison Tabbert had five kills, seven digs and two blocks and Alicia Machacek had six kills and five blocks.

NIACC's Kelly Miller had 11 kills, two digs and two blocks. Ellie Hanna had 13 kills, nine blocks, two digs and two ace serves, Opstevedt had 28 assists, 12 digs and four ace serves.

Beltran had 38 assists, 20 digs and three ace serves. Kit Byars had eight kills, eight blocks and three digs.

NIACC returns to action next Friday and Saturday at the Anoka-Ramsey Tournament in Coon Rapids, Minn.

"We will always have areas that need improvement," Brandt said. "We look forward to a day off and then the opportunity to get back in the gym next week to prepare for another weekend tournament."

TEAM SEASON HIGHS

Kills - 50 vs. Kellogg CC (8-19-23)

Assists - 49 vs. Kellogg CC (8-19-23)

Ace serves - 12 vs. Illinois Valley (8-19-23)

Digs - 79 vs. Kellogg CC (8-19-23)

Blocks - 13 vs. Kellogg CC (8-19-23)

INDIVIDUAL SEASON HIGHS

Kills - 19, Alyssa Wickersheim vs. Kellogg CC (8-19-23)

Assists - 24, Iwalani Beltran vs. Kellogg CC (8-19-23)

Ace serves - 5, Emily Opstvedt vs. Lake Land College (8-18-23)

Digs - 22, Kennedy Schwiesow vs. Kellogg CC (8-19-23)

Blocks - 6, Kit Byars vs. Kellogg CC (8-19-23)