OT: VB - LADY BUFFS COME BACK TO TAKE 2021 REGIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP

[Great White Buffalo]

The Lady Buffs of West Texas A&M return to the NCAA Division II Volleyball Elite Eight for the first time since 2013 after taking down the No. 3 MSU Denver Roadrunners in the South Central Regional Championship match on Saturday night.

WT continues their postseason run entering the Elite Eight 26-4 overall while the Roadrunners end their 2021 run 28-4. Four Lady Buffs were named to the All-Tournament Team with Torrey Miller, Chandler Vogel, Kayla Elliott, and Blair Moreland.

WT came back from a 2-0 deficit to defeat the Patriots 3-2 (18-25, 23-25, 25-20, 25-18, 15-8) behind Torrey Miller's career-dominating performance. The sophomore became the eighth Lady Buff in program history to post 33 kills in a single match as the Brownwood product hit a career-high .529 on 51 attempts with just six attack errors along with nine assists and 17 digs for her 15^th double-double of the season.

Freshman Blair Moreland paced the region champions with 31 assists while Chandler Vogel led the back row with 17 digs followed by Moreland with 15 for her fourth collegiate double-double. Kayla Elliott knocked down a match-high seven blocks to go along with 10 kills and three digs.

The Lady Buffs hit .296 as a team with a season-best 72 kills on 162 swings with 24 errors to go along with 65 assists, 74 digs and 10 blocks. MSU Denver totaled 61 kills on 170 attempts with 20 errors to hit .241 with 58 assists, 53 digs, and seven blocks.

Rylee Hladky led the Roadrunner offense, registering her own double-double with 18 kills and 12 digs. Amela Qershia racked up 30 assists while Ashlyn Cianciulli led the back row with 20 digs.

The South Central Region Champion Lady Buffs will advance to the NCAA Division II Elite Eight on Dec. 9-11 in Tampa, Florida at the Bob Martinez Athletics Center on the campus of the University of Tampa.

All-Tournament Team
Baleigh Allen, Angelo State
Kailyn Gilbreath, Angelo State
Sophia Berg, Angelo State
Mikayla Ware, UT-Tyler
Mikayla McClinton, MSU Denver
Avaline Lai, MSU Denver
Riley Anderson, MSU Denver
Rylee Hladky, MSU Denver
Blair Moreland, West Texas A&M
Chandler Vogel, West Texas A&M
Kayla Elliott, West Texas A&M
Torrey Miller, West Texas A&M

[Buffalo/Islander Alum]

Great news and results especially going up to Colorado to play in a couple of teams backyard. Best of luck at the Elite 8.

Now if WT could get football on the same level as the other sports.

[WT&TTECHfan]

Was great to see Vogel get that regional championship!Great win for those ladies!

[Great White Buffalo]

Great news and results especially going up to Colorado to play in a couple of teams' backyard. Best of luck at the Elite 8.

Now if WT could get football on the same level as the other sports.

We can only wish. The men's soccer team lost the regional championship after 3 OT's in a shoot-out. MBB only defeat is to the #1 team in the nation. The jury is still out on WBB however, they are getting better. Have watched Baseball & Softball, they should be competitive at the regional level. IMHO, Hughes's seat is getting really warm.

[WT_TKW]

Looks like another "up the middle to mediocrity" season next year for football. Maybe we can schedule some additional doormats to make the record look even better.

[Great White Buffalo]

Looks like another "up the middle to mediocrity" season next year for football. Maybe we can schedule some additional doormats to make the record look even better.

That's good, gonna steal that one.

[WT_TKW]

Have at it. Here's a guy WT could have had, but instead we will endure another lame season.

https://bronchosports.com/news/2021/...all-coach.aspx

[Buffalo/Islander Alum]

Have at it. Here's a guy WT could have had, but instead we will endure another lame season.

https://bronchosports.com/news/2021/...all-coach.aspx

Eh I will pass. He was handed the keys to the Mel Tjeersdma blueprint and rode it to the ACU job. He didn't seem to fare too well taking over a medicore team and that would have been the task at WT. The next coach needs to be on the way up. UCO will be a temporary thing if he is successful unless UCO is having plans to move to D1 in the next few years.

[WT_TKW]

Eh I will pass. He was handed the keys to the Mel Tjeersdma blueprint and rode it to the ACU job. He didn't seem to fare too well taking over a medicore team and that would have been the task at WT. The next coach needs to be on the way up. UCO will be a temporary thing if he is successful unless UCO is having plans to move to D1 in the next few years.

ACU is not a D2 team. Dorrel has been successful at D2.

Mel, despite incredible success in D2, never got the chance to coach D1, but if he came out of retirement I would love to have him at WT. Of course even Nesbitt looks a little better than what we have now. At least he's had success as a head coach at some level.

[texcap]

I hate to interrupt Buff/Islander and WT_TKW, but what is wrong with you guys? Don't you know anything about the LSC D2 Forum? Where is your decorum and respect for history and tradition?

Everyone knows that you hijack a football thread, especially a WT football thread, with talk about WT Women's Basketball or WT Women's Volleyball or WTSoftball or any other WT women's sports; but you NEVER, ever, ever highjack a WT Women's sports thread with talk about, of all things, WT football. I had to go back and check the thread title just to see that I was in the right place for all things WT women's sports and I find this discussion.

Man, where were you guys raised?

(All of the above written with the sarcasm font for those of you who do not possess that on your reading device.)

[Buffalo/Islander Alum]

ACU is not a D2 team. Dorrel has been successful at D2.

Mel, despite incredible success in D2, never got the chance to coach D1, but if he came out of retirement I would love to have him at WT. Of course even Nesbitt looks a little better than what we have now. At least he's had success as a head coach at some level.

I am well aware ACU is a FCS team hence the reason I made my comment. He is coming down to lick his wounds.

D2 is a different animal now. You cant just rely on building a team with a majority of players coming from high school which is how NW did it I believe.

I hope Dorrel is successful. I dont have anything against the guy but MIAA is a tough conference. UCO has fantastic facilities though.

Did Mel ever apply for very many D1 jobs? My sense is he was happy at NW Missouri.

[Buffalo/Islander Alum]

I hate to interrupt Buff/Islander and WT_TKW, but what is wrong with you guys? Don't you know anything about the LSC D2 Forum? Where is your decorum and respect for history and tradition?

Everyone knows that you hijack a football thread, especially a WT football thread, with talk about WT Women's Basketball or WT Women's Volleyball or WTSoftball or any other WT women's sports; but you NEVER, ever, ever highjack a WT Women's sports thread with talk about, of all things, WT football. I had to go back and check the thread title just to see that I was in the right place for all things WT women's sports and I find this discussion.

Man, where were you guys raised?

(All of the above written with the sarcasm font for those of you who do not possess that on your reading device.)

Haha. My mistake. I will stay in my lane.

[WT_TKW]

I am well aware ACU is a FCS team hence the reason I made my comment. He is coming down to lick his wounds.

D2 is a different animal now. You cant just rely on building a team with a majority of players coming from high school which is how NW did it I believe.

I hope Dorrel is successful. I dont have anything against the guy but MIAA is a tough conference. UCO has fantastic facilities though.

Did Mel ever apply for very many D1 jobs? My sense is he was happy at NW Missouri.

I could not find any proof, but my recollection was he applied at UTEP or UTA and was rejected, which I found shocking at the time, considering his record.

Yes, the MIAA is very tough.