HAWKS ADVANCE TO REGION 11 TOURNAMENT SEMIFINALS WITH TRIUMPH OVER PANTHERS

NORFOLK, Neb. – The Northeast Community College volleyball team hosted a match in the Region 11 Tournament Quarterfinals Wednesday night at the Cox Activities Center in Norfolk against Ellsworth Community College. The Hawks took the matchup by a final score of 3-1 to advance to the Region 11 Tournament Semifinals on Saturday.

Northeast (25-14, 8-3 ICCAC) entered the postseason as the No. 3 seed and matched up with the Panthers, who they had previously swept twice during the regular season but also who eliminated them in the 2023 playoffs. The Hawks came out dominant in the first set and won 25-16 before dropping set two 15-25.  Mya Hedstrom (O'Neill, Neb.) recorded 14 kills and two ace serves as Northeast was able to take both remaining sets to advance to the next round of postseason play.

Northeast, No. 3 Kirkwood Community College, No. 7 Iowa Central Community College and No. 24 Des Moines Area Community College have all now advanced to the Region 11 Tournament Semifinals that will be held on the campus of Kirkwood Community College in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. Northeast will take on Iowa Central at 3 p.m. Saturday and will battle the winner of the Kirkwood and Des Moines Area match at 1 p.m. on Sunday in the Region 11 Tournament Championship if they are able to top Iowa Central on Saturday.

STAT SHEET:

SET SCORES: 25-16, 15-25, 25-17, 25-21

Kills: Mya Hedstrom (O'Neill, Neb.) 14, Jayda Christensen (Norfolk, Neb.) 10

Blocks: Avery Couch (David City, Neb.) 4

Ace Serves: Mya Hedstrom 2, Shaylyn Safranek (Merna, Neb.) 2

Digs: Alex Arenas (Wakefield, Neb.) 16

Assists: Shaylyn Safranek 37

HEAR FROM THE HAWKS COACH:

Head Volleyball Coach Amanda Schultze on beating the team that eliminated the Hawks last season and the match as a whole:

"It was nice to get some revenge," Schultze said. "I'm just happy that we were able to host. We had some girls really step it up and play well. Shaylyn Safranek did a nice job and so did Avery Couch. Avery and Jayda Christensen really stepped up and put up a solid block."

Schultze on battling No. 7 Iowa Central in the semifinals next:

"I'm excited to play Iowa Central again," Schultze said. "I think we all know that we have a really good chance. I think it will be good to step on the court and play them again at a different location. Hopefully we can get a win!"

UP NEXT:

The Hawks will compete in the Region 11 Tournament Semifinals against No. 7 Iowa Central Community College at 3 p.m. Saturday in Cedar Rapids, Iowa on the campus of Kirkwood Community College.

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