(Story Courtesy of Colorado College Sports Information Department)
WAVERLY, Iowa -- Seniors Georgia Mullins and Isabella Vasquez combined for 34 kills to lead the Colorado College volleyball team to a 25-21, 14-25, 15-25, 25-23 victory over Ohio Northern University in the first round of the 2021 NCAA Division III Women's Volleyball championship on Friday in Waverly, Iowa.
Mullins put down a match-high 20 kills while hitting .548 with just three errors on 31 swings. She became just the 11th player in program history to record 1,000 or more career kills, finishing the match with 1,001.
With the season on the line, Mullins recorded 12 kills on 15 swings during the final two sets for a scorching .800 hitting percentage.
Vasquez finished with 14 kills and recorded three service aces. She became the 22nd Tiger to record 800 or more career kills, ending the match with 807.
Sophomore outside hitter Isabella Lipacis recorded a double-double with 12 kills and 13 digs.
Sophomore setter Jenny Jenks produced 47 assists and 13 digs. She improved her season total to 1,335 assists, which ranks second on the program's single-season list.
In the pivotal third set, CC snapped a 4-4 tie with a 12-6 surge to open a six-point lead. After the Polar Bears trimmed their deficit to 13-10, the Tigers scored seven of the next 10 points to open a 20-13 lead on a kill by Lipacis and ONU was unable to get closer than six points.
The momentum carried over to the fourth set and Colorado College raced to an early 8-2 lead. The Polar Bears clawed their way back to take a 12-10 lead, but CC unleashed a 12-2 barrage to build what appeared to be a comfortable 20-14 lead.
Ohio Northern rallied to take a 23-22 lead on a kill from Lauren James, but the Tigers answered with a kill from Kaylie Stuteville and an ace from Vasquez, and sealed the victory on a ONU attack error.
Sydney Eggleton led the Polar Bears with 13 kills, while Rachel Jennings had a match-high 22 digs. ONU finished its season with a 22-6 record.
Colorado College improved to 30-5 and reached the 30-win mark for the tenth time in the last 12 complete seasons.
CC, which advanced to the Elite 8 in 2009, owns a 22-29 all-time NCAA tournament record.
The Tigers will face No. 4 Wartburg College on Saturday at 4 p.m. MT.