Terri Berger set at net Nov. 9, 2007

St. Thomas holds off Dutch upset bid

 

 

ST. PAUL, MINN.—Outside hitter Miranda Kouba (junior, Dubuque, Wahlert HS) matched a career high with 19 kills but 12th-ranked St. Thomas (Minn.) held off No. 17 Central College’s upset bid 35-37, 30-21, 30-25, 16-30, 15-10 in a two-hour NCAA Division III regional semifinal match Friday.

The Dutch close with a 27-9 record while 28-4 St. Thomas advances to Saturday’s regional final against No. 8 Wis.-Whitewater (33-4). The Warhawks breezed past No. 23 Bethel (Minn.) 30-24, 30-28, 30-11. Saturday’s winner will compete in the eight-team national finals at Bloomington, Ill.

Kouba came up big for Central in the tourney and was among five Dutch players with double-figure kill totals. After delivering 15 kills with no errors in a 30-27, 30-23, 30-21 sweep of No. 25 Carleton College (Minn.) Thursday, she her 19 kills with just three errors Friday, hitting .314. She also had a team-high 26 digs and three blocks. The Dutch also received productive back-to-back showings from middle hitter Lindsay Jennings (sophomore, Atkins, Benton HS), who had 14 kills and six blocks, including three solos.

“I’m looking at the statistics for the two teams and they dead even,” said coach Kent Clayberg. “And that’s the way the match was. It went five games when we played St. Thomas at Indianola (a 30-25, 30-26, 24-30, 20-30, 15-12 Dutch victory Oct. 6) and it went five games tonight. If we played 100 times, they’d win 50 and we’d win 50. It was a great volleyball match and I couldn’t be more proud of these players.”

Three-time all-Iowa Conference setter Terri Berger (senior, Sioux City, Heelan HS) wrapped up her Central career with 14 kills, 52 assists and 10 digs. Recently named a first-team all-region selection, Berger finishes with 3,900 career assists, ranking second on Central’s all-time list.

Senior outside hitter Allison Ripperger (Urbandale) had 12 kills and senior right-side hitter Whitney Taylor (Eddyville, Eddyville-Blakesburg HS) had 11. Libero Maggie Nowicki (junior, Madison, Wis., Edgewood HS) had 22 digs.

“Game one was a titanic battle,” Clayberg said. “We kept fighting them off and fighting them off. But in games two and three, our passing got off a little and we weren’t in rhythm. We never did get our block in gear. But in game four we came back and just went after them. In game five, though, we had four kills and nine errors, which makes it awfully tough. But it’s not like we were just banging balls out of bounds. St. Thomas stuck some really nice blocks.”

First-team all-conference middle hitter Katie Johnson (senior, Johnston) had five kills in her final Central match and Clayberg revealed that Johnson has been playing in considerable pain the last several matches with a back injury, limiting her effectiveness as an offensive threat. Yet she still managed to contribute both offensively and defensively.

“What she has done these last two weeks is nothing short of remarkable,” he said.

The Dutch graduate six seniors. In addition to Berger, Ripperger, Johnson and Taylor, Central careers closed for outside hitter Traci Dyer (San Antonio, Texas, John Marshall HS) and middle hitter Megan Hansen (Grantsburg, Wis.).

“This is a group of seniors I will miss tremendously, as players and as persons,” Clayberg said. “It’s been a wonderful group to watch grow and develop as leaders, teammates and encouragers. If I could point to these seniors and say, ‘That’s Central volleyball,’ I’d be proud to do so.”

Yet Clayberg, characteristically, remains energized.

“I can’t always say this, but if I could start the season over again tomorrow, I’d do it,” he said.