Skip To Main Content

University of Central Oklahoma Athletics

The Official Site of Central Oklahoma University Athletics Central Oklahoma Athletics
Team
3
Winner Central Okla. CentOK 30-2,14-2 Mid-America Intercollegiate
1
Neb.-Kearney UNK 30-2,15-1 Mid-America Intercollegiate
Winner
Central Okla. CentOK
30-2,14-2 Mid-America Intercollegiate
3
Final
1
Neb.-Kearney UNK
30-2,15-1 Mid-America Intercollegiate
Set Scores
Team 1 2 3 4 F
Central Okla. CentOK 18 31 26 25 (3)
Neb.-Kearney UNK 25 29 24 16 (1)

Game Recap: Women's Volleyball |

CHAMPIONS!

No. 9 Bronchos Knock Off No. 3 UNK For MIAA Volleyball Championship Title

ST. JOSEPH, Mo. – Mikaela Garvin and Addison Wimmer combined for 43 kills to lift No. 9-ranked Central Oklahoma to a thrilling four-set win over No. 3 Nebraska-Kearney in the finals of the MIAA Volleyball Championship Saturday night.
 
The Bronchos prevailed 18-25, 31-29, 26-24, 25-16 in the rousing showdown at the Civic Center for their first-ever MIAA Volleyball Championship title. UCO improved to 30-2 with its 10th straight victory in reaching the 30-win mark for the sixth time in school history while dropping the regular season league champion Lopers to 30-2.
 
Central, which has handed UNK both its loses this season, earned the league's automatic berth into the NCAA Division II Volleyball Championship. The full 64-team field – with eight teams in each of eight regions – will be announced at 6:30 p.m. Monday.
 
"What a great match," head coach Edgar Miraku said. "I can't say enough about how hard our team battled tonight. They just kept fighting and fighting.
 
"I'm really proud of this team. It's a great accomplishment for our program and they're exciting about the chance to keep playing."
 
Garvin and Wimmer keyed UCO's high-octane offensive assault.
 
Garvin hit a sizzling .625, knocking down a season-high 23 kills in 32 attacks with just three errors. Wimmer had 20 kills to go along with 11 digs and four blocks.
 
Jenna Karp also came up big, hitting .444 with 14 kills and two miscues in 27 attempts. Sydney Huck (12) and Lari Migliorino (10) also had double-digit kills for the Bronchos, who hit .332 as a team.
 
Lindsey Houran directed the attack from her setter post, dishing out a season-high 64 assists while adding 18 digs and two kills. Katie Le had 19 digs and Riley Roberts 11 to help the back-row defense.
 
UNK took charge early in winning the first set, but the Bronchos came back strong in the second and were up 19-14 on a Wimmer service ace.
 
It was 21-17 after a Huck kill, but the Lopers answered with a 6-1 run to take a 23-22 lead and then had five chances to end the set only to see UCO hold on.
 
Karp's dart at the net tied it at 28-all and Wimmer followed with a block to make it 29-28. UNK scored to pull even, but another Karp kill made it 30-29 and then Houran and Migliorini teamed up for a block to end it.
 
The third set was another back-and-forth battle as both teams traded blows.
 
The Lopers were up 17-15 before three consecutive Wimmer kills keyed a 5-0 spurt that gave UCO a 20-17 lead. It was 22-18 after another Wimmer kill, then UNK came back with five straight points to go up 23-22.
 
Garvin's cross-court shot tied it, then the Lopers scored to go ahead again and served with a chance to end the set. But the Bronchos would not be denied.
 
Houran's perfect set led to another emphatic Garvin kill and the senior middle blocker followed with a rocket shot to put UCO on top. Huck and Karp then teamed up for a block that ended it to put the Bronchos in the lead.
 
It was all UCO in the fourth set.
 
Four different players had a kill while Garvin and Migliorino teamed up for a block as the Bronchos scored the first five points of the set and UNK had no answer.
 
Central was never threatened and Houran's dump kill on match point set off a midcourt melee as the Bronchos celebrated their first historic win.
 
Karp, Houran, Migliorino and Wimmer were all named to the all-tournament team for UCO.
 
 
Print Friendly Version
Skip Ad
Skip Sponsors