photo by Haley Wisniewski
Point Park fans show their support as senior defensive specialist Olivia Fisher prepares to serve during the championship game of the KIAC Tournament against IU Southeast on Nov. 15 in the Student Center. 

The Point Park volleyball team squandered five championship points in the third set of the Kentucky Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (KIAC) Tournament, dropped that third set, and lost a player to injury, but none of this would distract the Pioneers.

With a filled to capacity Student Center Gym, Point Park defeated Indiana University Southeast 3-1 to earn its second ever berth in the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) National Championship Opening Round.

“It’s the most incredible feeling and I’ve never been so proud of my team,” co-captain Kelsey Veydt said. “This weekend we just played as one team and one unit and we played with passion. That’s going to take us far.”

Early in the first set of the match, the Pioneers lost right side hitter Nikki Inquartano to injury and then lost outside hitter Shiloh Simonson for most of the fourth set, but Point Park was able to finish off the fourth set much to the crowd’s delight.

 “Our bench is strong, everyone we have is strong,” said setter Emily Meng. “We all trust each other. It’s just unreal the trust and passion we have in this team. If someone else steps up, it’s like Shiloh’s out there, it’s like Inky’s out there, so we trust each other.”

Several players stated that the crowd played a difference. Led by members of Point Park’s baseball, softball and men’s basketball teams, many of the students made noise when an IU Southeast player served but quieted and used spirit fingers when a Pioneer player served. Fans also frequently cheered based on The White Stripes song “Seven Nation Army”.

 To advance to the finals, Point Park defeated Brescia University in the quarterfinals 3-0 and Indiana University Kokomo 3-1 in the semifinals. The Pioneers earned a first round bye based on its regular season conference record.

 The victory against Brescia marked the return of Isabella Vavrek who was injured in an Oct. 2 loss to Indiana University East. Vavrek exclusively was a defensive specialist against Brescia but in the match against IU Kokomo Vavrek was back as an outside hitter and was a different maker with four kills on five total swings.

IU Southeast got to the finals defeated IU East 3-0 in the quarterfinals and top seeded Asbury 3-1 in the semi-finals.

In sets one and two of the KIAC Tournament final, IU Southeast had control however, the Pioneers came back to win both by scores of 25-21 and 25-23.

Point Park flipped the script in the third set taking the lead and then having four championship points up 24-20. The team unable to capitalize though and lost another opportunity to end the match losing the game 28-30. Veydt was unfazed.

“Honestly, I knew we were going to win,” Veydt said. “It’s volleyball, things will go for the other team sometimes. You’ve just got to keep pushing.”

 In the fourth set, Simonson went to the sidelines with an injury and was replaced by Paige Baker. The Pioneers held on and built the lead and when Simonson returned, Point Park was a couple points away from the title.

The final point came when Vavrek got a kill to end the match with a 25-20 victory.

“It was the best feeling in the world,” Vavrek said. “I was in such shock that I was capable to do the things I did. That kill was one of the happiest moments of my life”

Bruno noted that the team came far to earn the victory.

“Like all teams, we’ve had our fair share of adversity and I’m proud with how our kids bounced back from that this season,” coach Mike Bruno said to Blaine King of the Point Park Sports Network. “I knew in August when the kids reported to camp it was a pretty special group. We hit some road bumps but I’m really happy for the kids.”

One of those moments was the 3-1 loss to Shippensburg University on Nov. 4 which ended their season. Meng noted that the time in between was important.

“The time that we had off, we reflected on how hard you have to work as a team in this sport, it opened our eyes,” Meng said.

Following the tournament’s conclusion, four Pioneers were recognized with KIAC All-conference awards. Shiloh Simonson was named to the All-KIAC First Team while Ashley Taylor, Tabea Dalliard and Emily Meng were each named to the second team.

Point Park will face Georgetown College [Ky.] Saturday. The Pioneers defeated Georgetown in five sets on Oct. 4. Georgetown is ranked 15th in the final NAIA poll.

“Georgetown was very good when we last played them,” Simonson said. “We won in five sets but it was very difficult and an emotional win for coach Bruno. If we all come playing with heart like we did this weekend at the conference tournament, I know we can come out with a win.”

For right now though, the Pioneers will enjoy their win.

 “This is such an amazing feeling but we have so much work ahead of us,” Meng said. “Right now we have so much time to soak this in. This is unreal.”

 “I can’t even breathe, I’m freaking out right now,” Vavrek said.