Vanguard women’s volleyball to face defending national champ

The Vanguard University women’s volleyball team will continue the NAIA Tournament against defending national champion Texas at Brownsville on Tuesday at the Tyson Events Center in Sioux City, Iowa.

The Lions (23-11) earned a trip to the 24-team final-site event by sweeping Concordia of Oregon in the first round Saturday at home.

Vanguard is in Pool E along with Texas at Brownsville (29-4), Columbia of Missouri (33-5) and Southern Oregon (23-5).

The top two teams from each four-team pool advance to the 12-team single-elimination bracket that begins Dec. 5.

Coach Eryn Leja’s Lions, who lost all three pool matches last season in Iowa, are led by Golden State Athletic Conference Libero of the Year, Kelly Heenan, as well as All-GSAC performers Jessica Neves and Sarah McKinny.

Only two teams in the field have more losses than Vanguard, which has won four straight.

Columbia of Missouri has also won a national championship.

Vanguard meets Columbia on Dec. 3, then closes pool play against Southern Oregon on Dec. 4. The Lions were swept by Southern Oregon on Aug. 22.

“It’s never easy when you get to the top 24,” Leja said. “But we kind of knew that coming in. We’re fired up. Last year, we didn’t win a match in Iowa and I think we were a little overconfident. That experience is going to help us this year.”

— Barry Faulkner