TU Volleyball Poised for Top-25 Clash in CL Tournament Semifinals

Volleyball | Tue, Nov. 9, 2021
| by Seth Mikel

CL Championships Central | Live Video | Live Stats

UPLAND, Ind. – After sweeping past sixth-seeded Spring Arbor in the 2021 Crossroads League Tournament Quarterfinals, RV and third-seeded Taylor now turns its focus toward a semifinal showdown with No. 20 and second-seeded Indiana Wesleyan on Wednesday, November 10 at 7:00 pm.

Taylor will enter the match with an overall clip of 27-6, boasting its highest single-season win total since taking 31 victories in 2011. Among that record includes a 4-4 mark against teams ranked or receiving votes in the NAIA Top-25 Poll.

Taylor and IWU (21-4) split their head-to-head series during the regular season, with each team taking wins on their home court. The Trojans struck first with a five-set thriller over the Wildcats on September 18, before falling in straight-sets at Indiana Wesleyan on October 20.

In the 25-9, 18-25, 17-25, 25-20, 15-10 win for the Purple and Gold, Ryan Czerniak led the charge with 19 kills and a .529 percentage, while Grace Isaacs posted 10 kills and eight blocks. Kacy Bragg added 49 assists, 15 digs, four blocks and four kills and Stephaney Fifield teamed with Nikki Parrett for a combined 58 kills.

Ana Collar highlighted the IWU attack in the rematch, which was claimed via a 25-20, 25-15, 25-18 Wildcat decision. Collar posted 14 kills, 10 digs and five blocks to go with a .464 hitting percentage in that contest and averaged 13 kills, 19 digs, 3.5 blocks and a .310 overall percentage in her two showings against Taylor this season.

All four of the top seeds in the Crossroads League Tournament advanced via 3-0 victories in the quarterfinals round, with Taylor sweeping Spring Arbor, IWU sweeping Grace, Marian blanking Huntington and Bethel sweeping Mount Vernon Nazarene.

Wednesday’s CL Tournament Semifinals will pit RV and third seeded Taylor at No. 20 and second-seeded Indiana Wesleyan on one side of the bracket, with top-seeded and No. 7 Marian (30-1) hosting fourth-seeded and No. 24 Bethel (28-7) on the other side. Both matches are slated for 7:00 pm starts, with the two winners advancing into the CL Tournament Championship on Saturday, November 13 at a time to be determined.

RV Taylor (27-6) is making its first CL Tournament Semifinal appearance since 2016 and will be eyeing its first trip to the title match since 2014, with a chance to clinch an automatic bid into the program’s…