Ferris State Volleyball Advances To NCAA D2 Midwest Region Semifinals!

FSU Postgame Press Conference

ST. LOUIS, Mo. — The Ferris State University women's volleyball squad rallied back for a 3-2 win over Quincy University in a closely contested match on Thursday (Dec. 4) in the NCAA Division II Midwest Regional Quarterfinals at the Mark Twain Building in St. Louis.

With the win, the third-seeded Bulldogs will advance to Friday's (Dec. 5) regional semifinal against seventh-seeded Rockhurst (Mo.), which swept second-seeded Ohio Dominican by a 3-0 score.

FSU secured the victory with set scores of 23-25, 17-25, 27-25, 25-17, and 15-9. The team delivered 58 kills with a .253 attack percentage, while also contributing 82 digs defensively. Quincy recorded 75 kills and 94 digs, pushing Ferris St. to five sets.

Ferris State and Quincy engaged in a tightly contested first set with both teams trading points early on. Hayley Wegener started strong for the Bulldogs with a kill to open the scoring, while Susanna Beretti of Quincy responded with a series of successful attacks, contributing to an 18-14 Quincy lead. FSU rallied back to tie the set at 23-23, thanks to a combined block by Emma Bleecher and Lillian Peterson. However, Quincy clinched the set 25-23, with Erin Matzke delivering consecutive kills to secure the final points.

Quincy established control early in the second set with a series of scoring plays, including two consecutive kills by Beretti, giving them a 2-0 lead. The momentum continued as the Hawks capitalized on Ferris State's attack errors and a service ace by Beretti, extending their advantage to 5-1. Despite the Bulldogs' efforts to close the gap, including a kill by Gabby Piazza and a service ace from Hope Davies, Quincy maintained its lead, highlighted by kills from Selin Turgut and Janelle Pye-Blacknard. The Hawks extended their lead to 21-12 with consistent offensive pressure, and despite a late rally by Ferris State, which included a kill from Lyndsey Urick, Quincy secured the set 25-17 following a Ferris State service error.

FSU and Quincy battled intensely in the third set, with the Bulldogs emerging victorious, 27-25. Early on, the set saw a back-and-forth exchange, highlighted by Logyn Geren's kill from Wegener to open the scoring. Quincy responded with a series of successful plays, including a kill by Zeynep Cetin to tie the score at 8-8. The Bulldogs managed to regain control through a combination of service aces and attack errors by Quincy, pushing the score to 16-12. However, QU mounted a comeback, tying the set at 22-22 with Beretti contributing crucial points. The set concluded with a decisive kill by Urick, assisted by Wegener, securing the win for Ferris State.

Ferris State secured a decisive 25-17 victory over Quincy in the fourth set, driven by efficient play from multiple contributors. Piazza and Urick combined for a crucial block against Cetin's attack, setting the tone early. The Bulldogs capitalized on the Hawks' errors, including a service error and an attack error, to gain momentum. Geren and Emily May each delivered key kills, with Wegener setting up May for additional points. The final point came when Wegener executed a kill from a set by Alana Deshetsky, concluding the set and securing the win for Ferris State.

FSU began the decisive fifth set with defensive intensity, capitalizing on an attack error by Matzke to take an early lead. Piazza and Wegener teamed up for a block, while Geren delivered a service ace to push the the Bulldogs' advantage to 3-0. Quincy narrowed the gap with kills from Beretti, but the Bulldogs maintained control. Wegener's two consecutive service aces extended their lead to 6-1. Despite Quincy's efforts, including a kill by Pye-Blacknard, Ferris State continued to build on the advantage, with Urick and May contributing crucial kills. Ultimately, a kill by Urick, assisted by Wegener, sealed the set and the match at 15-9 for Ferris State.

Geren led the Bulldogs with 15 kills, hitting at a .353 percentage, and added four total blocks contributing to her 19 points. Wegener orchestrated the offense with 44 assists and fortified the defense with six blocks. Davies anchored the back row with 24 digs, while May added nine kills and three total blocks.

Pye-Blacknard led the Hawks with 20 kills and recorded 16 digs, amassing 20.0 points in five sets. Beretti contributed significantly with 23 kills and 21 digs, leading the team in points with 26.0. Setter Elena Kasavica was crucial in playmaking, delivering 62 assists and adding 15 digs, while Lily Marth excelled defensively with 27 digs and served four aces.

Ferris State, which is making its 14th consecutive and 29th overall NCAA Tournament appearance, improved to 25-7 overall this year with the win.

Friday's regional semifinal match is slated for a 5 p.m. (ET) start.