Owens falls short of volleyball national title

Owens' assistant coach Denny Caldwell gives instruction during a timeout during volleyball game against Lorain County Community College this season. The Express finished this season 40-1 and national runner-up in NJCAA Division II.

CHARLESTON, W.Va. — The Owens volleyball team saw its dreams of winning its first title in a women’s sport dashed Saturday as they fell 25-23, 25-20, 14-25, 25-19 to Coffeyville (Kan.) Community College in the National Junior College Athletic Association Division II national championship at the Charleston Civic Center.

The Express (40-1) saw its 40-match winning streak come to an end, as it was just the 10th time this season they had a match extend past three sets. It is the highest finish Owens has had since starting competition in Division II. Owens finished ninth in the national tournament in 2015 and third in the event in 2016.

The top-ranked team in the nation and the top seed in the tournament fought through the first two sets and dominated in the third before falling to the Red Ravens (43-2) in the fourth. Coffeyville was the fourth-ranked team in the nation, and the third seed in the tourney.

Michaela Eisenhauer finished with 11 kills and Ally Angstmann added 10. Erika Angstmann finished with 18 digs and Niki Polce chipped in with 17.