Northwestern, Morningside advance to GPAC volleyball tourney championship

SIOUX CITY, Iowa -- The semifinal round of the 2008 Great Plains Athletic Conference (GPAC) Volleyball Tournament was played Wednesday night in Orange City and Sioux City, Iowa.

In Orange City, top seed Northwestern eliminated fourth seed Doane 3-1 (25-23, 25-14, 25-18) and in Sioux City second seed Morningside defeated three seed Dordt 3-1 (25-23, 25-13, 26-28, 25-21).

Since top seed Northwestern is in the final and has secured an automatic NAIA National Tournament Berth (as regular season champion), Morningside will be awarded the league's second automatic berth.

Morningside will now enter the NAIA National Tournament in Sioux City, Iowa, Dec. 2-6 as a conference representative instead of by way of the host berth. An extra at-large berth will now be available to the rest of the country.

2008 marks the first time the GPAC Volleyball Tournament features 12 teams. The winner of the tournament receives the second automatic berth to the NAIA National Volleyball Tournament.

The GPAC receives two berths because the conference has 12 NAIA volleyball teams.

The NAIA National Volleyball Tournament will begin on Saturday, Nov. 22, with opening round matches at 12 campus sites across the country.

The top 11 teams in the country and Morningside College (as host by way of a GPAC bid) will automatically advance to the final field of 24 in Sioux City, Iowa, at the Tyson Events Center/Gateway Arena Dec. 2-6.

The final 12 spots will be filled by the winners of the opening round matches.

GPAC Volleyball First Round

Thursday, Nov. 6

No. 1 - No. 4 Seeds - Byes

Match No. 1 - No. 8 Dana 3, No. 9 Mount Marty 0 (25-19, 25-22, 25-22)

Match No. 2 - No. 5 Hastings 3, No. 12 Sioux Falls 0 (25-16, 25-10, 25-14)

Match No. 3 - No. 7 Concordia 3, No. 10 Dakota Wesleyan 1 (25-18, 25-20, 23-25, 25-21)

Match No. 4 - No. 6 Briar Cliff 3, No. 11 Midland Lutheran 0 (26-24, 25-14, 25-20)

GPAC Volleyball Quarterfinals

Saturday, Nov. 8

Match No. 5 - No. 1 Northwestern 3, No. 8 Dana 0 (25-18, 25-12, 25-8)

Match No. 6 - No. 4 Doane 3, No. 5 Hastings 2 (19-25, 21-25, 25-21, 28-26, 15-12)

Match No. 7 - No. 2 Morningside 3, No. 7 Concordia 0 (25-12, 25-5, 25-10)

Match No. 8 - No. 3 Dordt 3, No. 6 Briar Cliff 0 (25-15, 25-17, 25-19)

GPAC Volleyball Semifinals

Wednesday, Nov. 12

Match No. 9 - No. 1 Northwestern 3, No. 4 Doane 0 (25-23, 25-14, 25-18)

Match No. 10 - No. 2 Morningside 3, No. 3 Doane 1 (25-23, 25-13, 26-28, 25-21)

GPAC Volleyball Championship

Saturday, Nov. 15

Match No. 11 - No. 2 Morningside (35-4) at No. 1 Northwestern (27-6), 7:30 p.m.