Jimmie Women Win Wed. NAIA Nationals, Advance

SIOUX CITY, Iowa  (UJ)  — The top-ranked University of Jamestown women’s volleyball team swept its way to the quarterfinals of the NAIA National Championship Wednesday morning. The Jimmies defeated No. 20 Indiana Wesleyan University 27-25, 25-13, 25-10 to win Pool A.

The Jimmies (34-0) set a new program record for wins in a season, beating the previous mark of 33 set in 2019. Wednesday’s sweep was also the 29th three-set win for Jamestown in 2021. UJ will face Bellevue (Neb.) in the quarterfinals Thursday, at 5-p.m.

UJ outhit the Wildcats .263 to .090 and finished with 48 kills. Jamestown forced IWU into 18 attack errors and had a strong showing at the net, finishing with eight blocks.

The teams were even in the first set, trading points until the Jimmies opened up a 13-10 lead. UJ also led by three at 16-13 before IWU rallied for four straight to take a 17-16 lead. Jamestown went down 22-20 but came back to tie on a Taylor Sabinash (SR/Kensal, N.D.) kill. Tied once again at 25, the Jimmies got a kill from Sabinash and an attack error by the Wildcats for a first-set win.

Back-to-back attack errors by UJ in the second set left the door open for IWU as the Jimmies had a slim 8-7 lead. Aleah Zieske (FR/Spicer, Minn.) and Sabinash put balls to the floor to open up a three-point advantage, and Jamestown used a 10-3 run to build a 19-10 lead. The Wildcats won back-to-back points just twice in the set and hit -.048 in the frame.

Each team traded 3-0 runs to open the third set, then Jamestown used an 8-0 run to break things open. Anna Holen (SR/LaMoure, N.D.) helped serve the Jimmies to seven points during the run, and Hannah Schiele (SR/Jamestown, N.D.) was behind the line for six more points as UJ went ahead 21-7. A Jackie Meiklejohn (SR/Dickey, N.D.) ace was the match clincher.

Holen and Kalli Hegerle (SR/West Fargo, N.D.) led the offense with 10 kills. Zieske had eight kills and hit .400 for the match. Meiklejohn passed out 19 assists and had 12 digs. Holen posted a double-double with 15 digs and Ellie Holen (SO/LaMoure, N.D.) had a team-high 19 digs. Jayla Ritter (SR/Forest Lake, Minn.) had four block assists among her five total blocks.