By Nikki Sherrill, Communications and Sports Information Intern

SIOUX CITY, Iowa – (Schedule and Results) The 2016 NAIA Volleyball National Championship, presented by F&M Bank and Absolute Screen Art, pool play opened with all 32 teams competing at the Tyson Events Center. Of the 16 matches, 12 ended in sweeps, while only four contests went beyond the three-set minimum. The championship continues tomorrow and Thursday with pool play, resulting in the top two teams in each pool advancing to bracket competition.

With the expansion to 32-teams, eight programs were awarded No. 1 seeds in their respective groupings. On the day, these teams went 7-1, with Park (Mo.) seeing their top-seed tested, as No. 4 and host Morningside (Iowa) captured a 3-2 thriller over the Pirates. The remaining 1-4 matchups were settled in straight sets.

A second notable upset on the day was claimed by Jamestown (N.D.). The Jimmies handed 2015 national runner-up Missouri Baptist a 3-2 loss – the only other five-set contest on the day – to start their journeys in Sioux City. Five players for Jamestown ended the match with double-digit kills, led by a team-high 13 from Morgan Hensch. The Jimmies posted a day one-high 16 total team blocks, including a match-best nine by Haley Glasoe.

Westmont (Calif.), the No. 1 overall in the championship, continued its unblemished season with a sweep over IU Kokomo (Ind.). The Warriors (32-0) have not dropped a set since October 14, a span of eight-consecutive matches. The last team to finish undefeated was Park in 2014 when it went 40-0 and won the national championship.

The defending national champion Columbia (Mo.) is back in Sioux City after winning the American Midwest Conference tournament championship. The Cougars, led by last season’s National Player of the Year Peiyi Liu, swept the No. 2 team in their pool in Indiana Wesleyan. Tomorrow, Westmont puts its undefeated mark on the line as the Cougars look to end the streak at 1 p.m. CST. Also in that pool, Indiana Wesleyan will see IU Kokomo for the second time this season. The Wildcats earned a home win earlier this year, 3-1, in the two team’s first meeting.

The parody between the No. 2 and No. 3 seeds was evident, as the No. 3 seeds ended the day with five victories out of eight matches. Along with Columbia and Jamestown, Biola (Calif.), Corban (Ore.) and Montana Tech earned upsets in their respective pools. Biola and Montana Tech each won Opening Round matches to make it to Sioux City. 

Hastings (Neb.) leads the championship in both hitting percentage (.400) and service aces (3.7). The Broncos swept Union (Ky.) in the first match of the day to maintain control of their pool. The Broncos are led by senior Logan Drueppel, who leads the country in hitting percentage (.433) and blocks per set (1.7). Hastings will face-off against Missouri Baptist in its second pool play game.

For more information on the NAIA Volleyball National Championship, click here.