The Valley City State volleyball team has advanced to the NAIA Pool Play round in the National Volleyball Championship Tournament after defeating Central Methodist on the road, 25-23, 18-25, 25-20 and 25-21.
 
The 23-9 Vikings will compete in the NAIA Pool Play round for the first time in program history Nov. 29-Dec. 1 at the Tyson Events Center in Sioux City, Iowa.
 
After Saturday's win, head coach Michelle Meiklejohn said, "We weren't the number one team in the conference but I think we've proved we can compete with anybody." The Vikings will find out on Sunday who they'll be competing against in the pool play round.
 
The Vikings came from behind after trailing most of the first set Saturday. The Vikings took its first lead at 24-23 after a Danielle Hagler kill sparked a 6-2 run. VCSU's Mardi Scutchings put the set away 25-23 to give the Vikings an early 1-0 advantage.
 
The Eagles answered back in set two after pulling away with a 5-1 run to build a 22-16 lead and held on to finish with a 25-18 win.
 
Then in the third set, the Vikings turned a 10-6 deficit into a 14-14 tie with the help of a pair of Bailey Nelson kills. Trailing 19-18, a Scutchings kill sparked the Vikings to score six straight points to take over the lead 24-19. Bailey Nelson finished the set 25-20 to help the Vikings hold a 2-1 lead in the match.
 
The Vikings held onto the momentum into the fourth set, building a 15-10 lead on a big block from Danielle Hagler. The Eagles edged their way back into the game to hold a 20-20 tie, forcing a Viking timeout. VCSU came back strong with five of the next six points including a pair of Scutchings kills to end the set 25-21, and win the match 3-1.
 
On scoring the final kill of the match, Scutchings said, "My team trusts me to put the ball away and I knew what I had to do so I just swung away. I didn't see any hands up [on the block] and just went for it."
 
Right side Scutchings finished with 13 kills for the Vikings Saturday. Bailey Nelson led all players with 17 kills on 30 swings without a single error in the match to post a .567 hitting percentage. Emma Lucas added 13 kills and Morgan Freije chipped in 10 kills and six blocks at the net.
 
VCSU totaled 62 kills in Saturday's match, its third highest of the season.
 
"I just tell our hitters to be confident," added Meiklejohn. "Our setter has so much confidence in all our hitters and that plays a big part. All our hitters stepped up today as well as this year."
 
Sadie Hansen finished with a double-double of 46 set assists and 16 digs in the match. Hansen moved into 2^nd place in Viking history Saturday with a career total of 3,247 set assists.
 
On the defensive side of the ball, JayCee Richter posted a team-best 20 digs while Delani Clarke chipped in 16 digs Saturday.
 
Central Methodist ends its season with a 22-11 overall record. Morgan LeBlanc led the Eagles with 12 kills Saturday while Krystal Brauner led all players with 31 digs in the match.
 
Gabi Owczarek tallied 29 set assists for Central Methodist and Ryleigh McBurney added 23 assists Saturday.
 
UP NEXT: VCSU travels to the Tyson Events Center for pool play at the NAIA Volleyball Championship Nov. 29-Dec. 1.