SIOUX CITY, Iowa -- No. 16 Indiana Wesleyan University volleyball fell one win shy of becoming the first team in program history to advance out of pool play at the NAIA National Championship. IWU needed to beat top-ranked Westmont (Calif.) in the final pool play match to advance and opened with a win in the opening set. But Westmont responded with wins in the next three sets to eliminate IWU 3-1.

MATCH VITALS

• Score:  Indiana Wesleyan - 1   |   Westmont - 3
  • Set 1:  IWU 30-28
  • Set 2:  WC 25-18
  • Set 3:  WC 25-20
  • Set 4:  WC 25-22 
• Records:  Indiana Wesleyan 35-4   |   Westmont 33-1
• Pool A Standings:  1. Columbia 3-0   2. Westmont 2-1   3. Indiana Wesleyan 1-2   4. IU Kokomo 0-3
• NAIA Top- 25 Rank:  Indiana Wesleyan - No. 16   |   Westmont - No. 1
• Location:   Tyson Events Center   |   Sioux City, Iowa 
  
   

STAT TRACKER

• Ashlen Buck - 21 digs
• Remy Bucknor - 18 kills (2nd most in career), .536 attack percentage, 3 block assists
• Kylie Portera - 7 kills, 2 solo blocks, 1 block assist
• Katie Elson - season-high 37 assists
• Kelly Miller - 10 kills
• Emily Workman - 18 assists, 6 digs, 1 ace
• Banner Rodgers - 27 digs
• Bianca Cifaldi - 15 kills, 1 solo block
  
   

MATCH MOMENTS

• Before the final day of pool play started both teams knew the match was an elimination game with the winner advancing to the 16-team tournament that begins on Friday.
• Westmont had lost only 14 sets in their previous 33 matches this season.
• Westmont is the first No. 1 ranked team that Indiana Wesleyan has played since a 3-0 loss to Texas at Brownsville on October 26, 2013.
• Remy Bucknor’s 18 kills were the second most in her career. She had 20 kills in 2014 vs. Taylor (Ind.).
   

COACH MOATS SAYS…

• “I have tears in my eyes saying goodbye to this team. They were so fun to watch with such a high level of volleyball skill. But what I want this team to know is I will never forget their incredible hearts for the Lord and for people. They left a mark on every team they played this season and I could not be more proud of how they represented Indiana Wesleyan. To the seniors, you left an impacting legacy on what we would want this program to represent for years to come. It was an honor for us coaches to have had you as student-athletes. God bless all of you as you continue on impacting the world. Love you with all our hearts.”
   

UP NEXT FOR VOLLEYBALL

• Indiana Wesleyan wraps up another stellar season as they finish 35-4 and just one win away from advancing out of pool play at the NAIA National Championship. The 35 wins is the sixth highest in program history with three of the losses coming to top-five teams and the fourth was against the defending national champion. IWU won the Crossroads League regular season title with an unprecedented 18-0 record and then went on to claim the tournament title for a 21-0 record vs. league opponents.