The NCAA News - News and Features

December 15, 1997

West Texas A&M wins third volleyball crown of decade

In one of the most exciting championship matches in Division II volleyball history, West Texas A&M outlasted Barry through five games to capture the Division II Women's Volleyball Championship December 7 at Cal State Bakersfield.

West Texas A&M (37-3) won its third NCAA title this decade with its 4-15, 15-13, 21-19, 7-15, 18-16 victory. The Buffaloes also won titles in 1990 and 1991.

It all came down to the last point of game five. West Texas A&M jumped out to a 5-1 lead in that game, but Barry rallied to tie the score at 11. Each team had the opportunity to serve for the match.

The Buffaloes took a 14-13 lead after a hitting error by Barry. But Barry's Cindy Yuan's cross-court kill knotted the match at 14.

After Division II player of the year Sarah Butler hammered a cross-court kill to give West Texas A&M its second championship point, Barry turned the tables. Elvira Vakhidova recorded consecutive kills for the Buccaneers to set up a match point opportunity of their own. But Butler tied the match again at 16 with her 26th kill of the night.

Holly Morgan went cross court to set up a third championship point for West Texas A&M, and Morgan finished the affair with a double block for the winning kill.

"I guess it's one of those matches that it's really a shame for somebody to lose," Buffaloes head coach Debbie Hendricks said. "Our players showed a tremendous amount of composure throughout the entire tournament. We came here with a goal and met that goal."

Barry finished the season with a 28-5 record.

Butler led West Texas A&M with 26 kills and a career-high 40 digs. Morgan also reached the 20-kill plateau, with 21 kills and 29 digs.

The Buffaloes defeated host Cal State Bakersfield in the semifinals, 18-16, 15-11, 7-15, 16-14. Barry advanced to the finals by defeating Northern Michigan, 15-7, 15-10, 15-7.

In the third-place match, Cal State Bakersfield defeated Northern Michigan, 15-10, 15-12, 15-8.

In the quarterfinals, Northern Michigan defeated Nebraska-Omaha, Barry defeated Lock Haven; West Texas A&M beat New Haven and Cal State Bakersfield defeated Regis (Colorado).

The all-tournament team consisted of Butler, Morgan, Deena Victor and Amanda Sweatt from West Texas A&M; Yuan, Janina Morusiewicz, and Elvira and Eleonora Vakhidova of Barry; Tammy Barrus and Amy Wade of Cal State Bakersfield; Christyn Malone of Nebraska-Omaha; and Lucia Pereira of Northern Michigan.

CHAMPIONSHIP

West Tex. A&M -- 4 -- 15 -- 21 -- 7 -- 18

Barry -- 15 -- 13 -- 19 -- 15 -- 16

West Tex. A&M -- K -- E -- TA -- PCT. -- SA -- DG -- BS

Amy Jeffres -- 0 -- 0 -- 0 -- .000 -- 1 -- 16 -- 0

Sarah Butler -- 26 -- 6 -- 68 -- .294 -- 1 -- 40 -- 2

Lisa Thomason -- 19 -- 8 -- 52 -- .212 -- 2 -- 16 -- 0

Deena Victor -- 1 -- 2 -- 7 -- .000 -- 1 -- 12 -- 0

Holly Morgan -- 21 -- 9 -- 75 -- .160 -- 0 -- 29 -- 0

Amanda Sweatt -- 16 -- 7 -- 48 -- .188 -- 2 -- 14 -- 1

Sherri Garver -- 0 -- 0 -- 0 -- .000 -- 0 -- 0 -- 0

Tatum Wales -- 8 -- 4 -- 30 -- .133 -- 1 -- 6 -- 0

Cory Tixier -- 0 -- 0 -- 0 -- .000 -- 0 -- 0 -- 0

Brittany Bridge -- 0 -- 1 -- 1 -- .000 -- 0 -- 0 -- 0

Totals -- 91 -- 37 -- 281 -- .192 -- 8 -- 133 -- 3

Barry -- K -- E -- TA -- PCT -- SA -- DG -- BS

Michelle Heuton -- 2 -- 1 -- 15 -- .067 -- 1 -- 22 -- 0

Jasna Kovacevic -- 6 -- 2 -- 21 -- .190 -- 0 -- 28 -- 0

Eleonora Vakhidova -- 18 -- 7 -- 60 -- .183 -- 7 -- 26 -- 1

Cindy Yuan -- 29 -- 7 -- 63 -- .349 -- 1 -- 19 -- 0

Elvira Vakhidova -- 30 -- 8 -- 98 -- .224 -- 0 -- 12 -- 1

Janina Morusiewicz -- 3 -- 1 -- 11 -- .182 -- 0 -- 14 -- 0

Liz Bates -- 0 -- 0 -- 0 -- .000 -- 1 -- 3 -- 0

Tanya Texidor -- 0 -- 0 -- 0 -- .000 -- 0 -- 0 -- 0

Angela Matzen -- 0 -- 0 -- 0 -- .000 -- 0 -- 0 -- 0

Brooke Pinney -- 1 -- 0 -- 1 -- 1.000 -- 0 -- 4 -- 0

Dana Block -- 0 -- 0 -- 0 -- .000 -- 0 -- 0 -- 0

Totals -- 89 -- 26 -- 269 -- .234 -- 10 -- 128 -- 2