The VCSU Vikings came up short in their semifinal contest yesterday against the Bellevue Bruins, who won the matchup in four sets (23-25, 25-19, 25- 18, and 25- 20). The Vikings will now have to sit back and await their fate as the NAIA  selection committee tries to narrow things down to the 32 best Volleyball teams in the country.

The first set between the Vikings and Bruins would be a seesaw battle that would see neither side lead by more than four points at any given time. Ultimately, for VCSU, it would be Danielle Hagler who put the first set away with an authoritative kill, aided by the defensive play of Morgan Freije, to seal a 25-23 win.

Unfortunately for the Vikings, the following two sets would play out nearly identically as the play in front of the net by Bruins OH Eve Fountain and aces by Mila Aiwohi would allow the Bruins to stifle any Vikings rally as they fell in the following two sets 25-19 and 25-18.

The final set would once again see the Vikings fall behind late before a late rally led by the serving of Ellie Rush cut the deficit down to 23-20. But the Bruins would stifle the Viking’s rally and win the set after a blast into the Vikings’ wall fell onto their side of the floor, ending the fourth set 25-20 and giving Bellevue the four-set win.

Belleview will play the Viterbo and Dakota State winner on Saturday at 2:00 pm. The VCSU Viking football game against Waldorf will be on 1490am/96.3fm KOVC tomorrow, with the opening kickoff set for 2:00 pm.