Lady Tiger volleyball team to play for fifth place

Putting aside its disappointment of losing its shot at playing for a national championship, the third-seeded Cowley College volleyball team returned to the court on Friday and dispatched seventh-seed Kirkwood Community College (IA) 25-12, 25-13, 25-23 at the NJCAA Division II National Tournament in Cedar Rapids, IA.

With the win, Cowley (40-4) advances to face either fourth-seeded Iowa Central (36-6) or ninth-seed Grand Rapids Community College (25-4) in the fifth-place match that will be played Saturday at 2 p.m.

Friday's victory was the second time Cowley has defeated Kirkwood this season, as the Lady Tigers previously defeated the Lady Eagles in straight sets back on October 15.

Cowley led Friday's opening set 14-8 before scoring seven straight points and cruising to the 25-12 win. The Lady Tigers kept coming at Kirkwood in the second set as Cowley scored the first seven points and went on to the easy 25-13 win.

Kirkwood would take an early 5-2 lead in the third set before Cowley answered with a 14-4 run to lead 16-9. The Lady Eagles would continue to battle and came back to tie the score at 23-23. However, back-to-back kills by sophomore Laci Beougher ended the threat and gave Cowley the 25-23 win.

Cowley had 11 aces in the victory.

Kirkwood finishes the season with a record of 35-10.