Grand Rapids Reporter

The Ferris State University women's volleyball team has secured a spot in the NCAA Division II Midwest Regional Championship match for the third year in a row. The Bulldogs defeated Rockhurst (Mo.) 3-1 in the regional semifinals held on Friday night in St. Louis, Missouri.

Ferris State will compete against either top-seeded Missouri-St. Louis or fifth-seeded Grand Valley State in the regional final on Saturday evening at 8 p.m. Eastern Time.

Rockhurst took an early lead by winning the first set 26-24, but Ferris State rallied to win the next three sets with scores of 25-22, 25-18, and 25-15, securing their second NCAA Tournament victory in as many days.

The Bulldogs' success was driven by a balanced offensive effort with four players achieving double-digit kills. Syann Fairfield led with 14 kills, followed by Hannah Tecumseh with 12 kills, Olivia Henneman-Dallape with 11 kills, and Claire Nowicki contributing 10 kills.

Defensively, libero Leah Bylut recorded 28 digs while Nowicki added another 22 digs. Kenzy Corstange contributed with 15 digs as Ferris State amassed a total of 90 digs overall. Setter Kaylee Maat provided significant support with her performance of 45 assists and eight digs.

The Bulldogs achieved a hitting percentage of .230 during the match, recording a total of 58 kills and committing only 17 attack errors out of their 178 attempts. They also collected five service aces along with four solo blocks and twelve block assists.

In contrast, Rockhurst was limited to a .136 attack percentage. The Hawks managed to score only one solo block alongside their eight block assists and six service aces.

With this victory, Ferris State's record improves to an impressive tally of 26 wins against seven losses for the season so far. This marks FSU's twelfth consecutive appearance at the NCAA Tournament—an achievement reflecting its consistent performance over time—and twenty-seventh participation overall throughout program history.

Fans interested in watching Saturday night's regional final can do so through pay-per-view services available via both NCAA.com and HUDL platforms online.