SCSU Volleyball Advances to Second Round of NCAA Tournament

KEARNEY, NEBRASKA (WJON News) -- The St. Cloud State University volleyball team picked up in the first round of the NCAA volleyball tournament where they left off in the NSIC tournament.

The Huskies, ranked #5 in the nation, beat Missouri Western, the #17 ranked team in the nation, 3 - 1 in the first round of the Central Regional tournament being held in Kearney, Nebraska.

The win is the eighth in a row for St. Cloud, going back to the regular season, and including their three wins in the NSIC tournament.

SCSU won the first two sets and led 20-13 in the third set, before the Griffons mounted a rally and won the third set to force a fourth set.

The Huskies are the #4 seed in the Central Regional, and the Griffons are the #5 seed.

With the win, SCSU improves its record to 27-6 overall on the season.

Their next opponent will be #1 Nebraska-Kearney.  The 2nd-ranked team in the nation survived a scare from #8 Oklahoma-Baptist and won 3-2 in a reverse sweep.

SCSU will play in the Central Regional semi-finals, or the national round of 32, on Friday at 7:00 p.m.

Earlier in the day, #3 seed Wayne State was upset 3-0 by #6 seed Washburn 3-0, and #2 seed Concordia-St. Paul beat #6 Oklahoma Central 3-0.  Washburn and Concordia will play on Friday at 4:00 p.m.

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St. Cloud State is playing in its sixth straight NCAA tournament.  Last year they advanced to the round of the Sweet 16, or Central Regional Championship, before being eliminated.

Read More: St. Cloud State Volleyball Prepares For Sixth NCAA Tournament |