STILL DANCING! Ferris State Volleyball Advances To NCAA D2 Midwest Regional Championship Match

Post-Match Press Conference & Highlights 

Big Rapids, Mich. - The Ferris State University women's volleyball squad advanced to the NCAA Division II Midwest Regional Championship match as the Bulldogs recorded a 3-1 triumph over Hillsdale in the semifinal round on Friday (Nov. 18) night at Pepsi Arena in Quincy, Ill.

In a rematch of last year's regional final, the Bulldogs fell behind early after dropping the first set 27-25, but rallied back time and time again to notch the next three frames by scores of 25-223, 27-25, 25-21 to move back into the regional championship match.

The Bulldogs were led by sophomore Claire Nowicki's team-high 17 kills. She was joined in double-figures by Olivia Henneman-Dallape with 14 kills, Syann Fairfield with 12 kills and Chelsie Freeman, who added 11 kills.

Ferris State hit .251 for the evening and produced 22 block assists and a solo hit at the net en route to the win. Freeman had a match-high seven block assists while Henneman-Dallape added five and Fairfield totaled four.

Defensively, the Bulldogs got 24 digs from libero Leah Bylut while totaling 84 as a team in the contest. Nowicki added 15 digs as did freshman Alina Anderson while sophomore setter Kaylee Maat notched 14 digs to go with her 53 assists in directing the offensive attack.

FSU had four service aces overall, including two apiece by Hannah Tecumseh and Nowicki.

Ferris State held Hillsdale to a .171 attack figure and the Chargers notched 10 block assists to go with three solo blocks and seven aces. Karoline Shelton totaled 17 kills and Marilyn Popplewell had 12 for the Chargers with Alli Wiese notching 20 digs.

The Bulldogs improved to 26-9 overall with the win.

Ferris State will square off against the winner of the second semifinal between host Quincy and Missouri-St. Louis in the regional title match on Saturday night at 8:30 p.m. (ET) in Quincy, Ill.