MESSIAH MEN'S VOLLEYBALL CAPTURES

2008 NIRSA DII NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP

After a long week of flight cancellations and an extremely challenging national championship tournament, the Falcons of the Messiah College Men's Volleyball team return from Dallas, TX, as NIRSA Division II National Champions!

Messiah entered the tournament ranked #3 overall, after a surprising end-of-season finish by Sonoma State from California, pushing them to the #1 ranked spot in the nation. Still behind defending national champion, #2 Ohio Northern University, the Falcons nonetheless came to Dallas extremely focused and ready to get down to business.

Day one, Messiah had a tough first match against Bethel University, but controlled the match and won in two games (26-24, 25-22) . Convincingly defeating their next two opponents in Plymouth State (25-13, 25-7) and Ithaca (25-16, 25-17), the Falcons moved to day two. Saint Louis University and the University of Wisconsin-Plateville anxiously awaited Messiah. The winner of this pool remained in the hunt to compete in the Gold Division and the national championship. Two hard fought matches were played, but these two teams were no match for the overpowering and consistent play of Messiah College. The Falcons won 25-16, 25-23 against St. Louis University, and 25-15, 25-18 against the University of Wisconsin-Plateville.

Undefeated in seeding play, the Falcons started off the final day where they faced off against MAC conference rival, #8 Millersville University in the first round of championship play on Day Three. With the tremendous pressure riding on Messiah, being that this was the 6 th time Messiah had battled against the Marauders, the Falcons dropped the first game 22-25. Regrouping and picking up their level of play, Messiah fought through a tough match and won 25-20, 15-13 to send Millersville back to Pennsylvania.

In the quarterfinal match, the #5 University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire awaited the Falcons. Coming out strong, the UW-Eau Claire team found themselves on top of the Falcons 16-10 in the first game. However, the determination and will to win did not leave the Falcons. In an extremely hard fought slug-fest, Messiah rose to the occasion and fought back in the first game to win 25-22. The second game was neck and neck all the way through and by saving 2 game points and converting their 3 rd game point, the Falcons were victorious, winning 30-28.

Reaching the semifinal match, the Falcons already made history by making it farther in the national tournament than any Messiah team had accomplished. Messiah came to find awaiting them perennial powerhouse, defending national champion, #2 Ohio Northern, who had knocked the Falcons out of the 2007 National Championship Quarterfinal match. In an epic three-game, two hour long match of endurance and undoubtedly the best volleyball match of the entire tournament, the Falcons triumphed after dropping the first set 24-26, to win games two and three, 25-21 and 15-13 respectively.

Knocking out Ohio Northern placed Messiah into the championship match against #1 Sonoma State from California. After a very long, emotionally and physically challenging day, the team entered the very large venue, the Arena of the Dallas Convention Center, with a vast number of spectators awaiting them. The Falcons came in calm and poised, with a great showing with a combination of a high octane offense and an impenetrable defense, making a statement in taking game one 25-18 from a very tough opponent. Not to be denied the championship title, Sonoma State raised their level of game in the second set, but Messiah answered accordingly winning game two, 25-19. The Falcons stormed the court where they celebrated in their amazing accomplishment in winning the 2008 NIRSA Division II National Championship!

Awarded for their efforts at the national tournament, accolades were garnered by:

Second Team All-National

Mike Walker

 First Team All-National

Chris Toote

Michael Frederick

Luke Reichel

Tournament MVP

Ted Simmons