Dec. 9, 2024
Top-ranked Ferris State volleyball team headed to NCAA DII Elite Eight after topping University of Findlay
The nation's top-ranked Ferris State University volleyball squad advanced to the NCAA Division II Elite Eight for the first time in 11 years as the Bulldogs rallied to beat the University of Findlay in a 3-2 thriller before a sold out crowd in the Midwest Region Championship match.
With the triumph, Ferris State advances to the DII Elite Eight set for Dec. 12 to 14 in Sioux Falls, South Dakota. Advancing teams will be reseeded with matchups and game times determined on Sunday.
The Bulldogs claimed to the regional crown in their fourth consecutive trip to the regional final, scoring a win to move to 34-0 on the year.
Ferris State took the opening set 27-25, but Findlay responded to grab a 2-1 lead in the match with wins of 25-22 in the second and 25-19 in the third.
The Bulldogs fought back and won the fourth set 25-21 to set up the deciding fifth set. The Bulldogs fell behind early, but once again battled back with a large crowd behind them and ultimately won 15-13.
Ferris State got a team-high 22 kills from senior standout Olivia Henneman-Dallape along with 11 kills from freshman Gabby Piazza. Senior settter Kaylee Maat recorded 41 assists with nine digs in the win while senior libero Leah Bylut finished with 17 digs and Claire Nowicki contributed 14 digs and seven kills in the victory.
Both teams finished with a .230 attack percentage although Findlay had 69 kills overall compared to 50 for the Bulldogs. FSU netted 89 digs with 12 team blocks and 11 service aces compared to Findlay’s 75 digs, 10 aces and four team blocks.
The Oilers got a match-best 29 kills from Hannah Miller along with 12 apiece by Kenzie Hoelscher and Alana Pohlman. Emma White garnered 55 assists and 12 digs in the decision with Ava Doster notching a match-high 19 digs. UF finished its season with a 24-9 overall record following a run to the regional championship match.
A trio of Bulldogs earned all-tournament honors in the regional event, including Henneman-Dallape along with Maat and Bylut.