From Jamestown Athletics

DES MOINES, Iowa– The fifth-ranked University of Jamestown men’s volleyball team had its season come to an end Thursday evening in pool play at the NAIA National Championship, losing in three sets to No. 1 Grand View (Iowa) University. Set scores were 25-15, 25-21, 25-22.

The Jimmies end the season with a record of 20-6, while the Vikings improve to 25-2 and advance to Friday’s semifinals.

Thursday was the third meeting of the season between the two teams, with Grand View winning in five sets back in February and again in four sets in March. Of the 11 losses by the Jimmies in its three seasons of existence, six have come at the hands of GVU.

Tied at 5-5 in set one, Grand View won four straight points, forcing a UJ timeout. Out of the timeout, the Vikings took eight of the next 13 points to establish a six-point lead, then finished off the set winning the final six points.

Jamestown fell behind 5-1 in the second set, but won four of the next six points to trail by just two at 7-5. However, Grand View won six of the next eight points to build a six-point lead and cause the Jimmies to call timeout. The Jimmies got as close as 14-12, only to have the Vikings gradually pull away.

In set three, UJ trailed 9-6 but took the next three points to tie the set and the Vikings called timeout. Jamestown would twice go up by two (16-14 and 17-15), but a 4-0 Grand View run turned the tide, and the Jimmies would not lead again. Tied at 21-21, the Vikings took four of the last five points to punch their ticket to the semifinals.

Samuel Jackman (JR/St. Jean Baptiste, Manitoba) had 12 kills and hit .474, while Zack Meyer (SR/Wheaton, Ill.) was also in double figures with 10 kills. Derek Correa (SO/Vega Baja, Puerto Rico) passed out 23 assists and Braden Neumann (SR/Costa Mesa, Calif.) had four digs. Derek Owens (SO/Andover, Minn.) had a solo block and a block assist.