Dec. 3, 2005

Columbia Rolls into NAIA Volleyball Championship Match

SAN DIEGO, Calif. - Columbia College (Mo.) looked poised and ready as the Cougars eliminated Missouri Baptist University to advance to the championship match at the 26^th Annual NAIA Volleyball National Championship.  Being held on the beautiful campus of Point Loma Nazarene University, the tournament began with pool play on November 30. 

In a rematch of this year's Region V championship match, Columbia avenged that earlier loss to fellow American Midwest Conference member with a 3-1 victory (30-28, 30-22, 27-30, 30-23).  Today's semifinal was the fifth meeting between the two teams, with the teams splitting the first four matches.  Missouri Baptist had the momentum leading into today as the Spartans won that region meeting.

Columbia, which will serve as the host for the national tournament the next two years, jumped to the early lead, grabbing the first two games before faltering in game three.  Leading 2-1, the Cougars won the fourth and deciding game to advance to the title match for the sixth time in 12 tournament appearances.

The Cougars had a balanced attack, placing four hitters in double-digit kills as Luana Branco recorded a match-high 45 kills. Rose Obunaga leads the tournament in blocks with 36 (seven solo and 29 assisted).  Obunaga had seven in today's semifinal match. 

Missouri Baptist rallied behind the power of Ana Mercado as she carried the Spartans with 38 kills. Through the tournament, Mercado scored 184 points and recorded 164 kills to claim fame as the top hitter of the tournament, just nine shy of the tournament record.  The Spartans finish the season with a 38-7 record. 

Columbia (39-4) returns tonight in an attempt to dethrone California Baptist University in the championship match at 7:30 p.m. (Pacific).  The Lancers try to repeat as national champions, something no team has done since Columbia did so in 1998 and 1999.  Columbia also won the title in 2001 and has two runner-up finishes, one in 2000 and another in 2003.  California Baptist advanced after besting Madonna University (Mich.) 3-2 in the early semifinal match.

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