Rochester, Mn-
The St. Cloud Technical & Community College Cyclones and the Central Lakes College Raiders both finished with success in their final matches of 2017, earning a 5th place and 3rd place standing after Day Two of the 2017 NJCAA Division III National Tournament.
The Cyclones, led by Southern Division Co-Coach of the Year Heidi Smith, took care of business Saturday against Northampton Community College, defeating NCC 3-2 (30-28, 22-25, 25-18, 20-25, 15-13 to claim the 5th place hardware. The tightly contested match reflected the resilience shown by St. Cloud this season, as SCTCC had to navigate a highly competitive MCAC Southern Division schedule to earn the right to host the NJCAA Region XIIIA tournament. The NJCAA National Top Ten weekly rankings featured as many as four Southern Division teams during the course of the fall, and the quality of the Conference prepared SCTCC well for the challenge of the National stage. SCTCC finishes the 2017 season with a 25-7 overall record and are proud owners of the NJCAA Region XIIIA championship. The Cyclones were 2-1 at the NJCAA national tournament, with victories over Northampton and Queensborugh CC, while falling to Columbus State on Friday.
Central Lakes College, with veteran mentor Jane Peterson at the helm, rolled through the MCAC Northern Division unbeaten at 14-0 and entered the NJCAA National Tournament as the 3rd seed. CLC went 1-1 on the first day of competition, providing them the opportunity to play for the 3rd place trophy on Saturday. Like the Cyclones, the Raiders were stretched to five games - but ultimately prevailed - beating Columbus State 3-2 (25-17, 16-25, 23-25, 25-22, 15-10). Northern Division Coach-of-the-Year Peterson and her squad finished 2017 with a 27-9 overall record and a Region XIIIB title to their credit. At the National Championship, Central Lakes claimed wins against Columbus State and Northampton, with their lone loss to Eastfield.
For full MCAC Volleyball Stats, Standings and more, visit: http://www.mcacsports.org/sports/wvball/index
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This release sponsored in part by Gopher Sport.
Gopher Sport, based in Owatonna, is an industry leader in Physical Education, sports and fitness equipment. Gopher Sport is dedicated to providing programs and departments with the products to improve fitness, develop skills, create fun and reach a high standard of learning and living. Gopher Sport has diligently served teachers, coaches and athletic directors around the world for over 65 years.
About the Minnesota College Athletic Conference
The Minnesota College Athletic Conference is the organizational body for NJCAA-affiliated two-year technical and community college athletic programs in the Minnesota State system. The mission of the Minnesota College Athletic Conference is to advance intercollegiate athletics by providing an engaging and supportive environment for success of our student athletes and competition among member institutions. The MCAC is committed to the guiding principles of encouraging the development and success of student athletes, promoting the integrity, honesty and loyalty to member schools as well as upholding the sustainability of conference athletic programs.