Sports
Unbeaten Welterweight Rohan Polanco At Forefront Of Dominican Boxing Renaissance
As Rohan Polanco was playing basketball with his friends in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, his attention was drawn elsewhere.
Around the corner was a boxing gym. Curiosity eventually drew the 13-year-old to the gym and he signed up to join. The rest is history.
“I used to play baseball, but my favorite sport was basketball,” Polanco told The Ring. “The first time I put on gloves, I fell in love. It was like love at first sight, and it came really easy to me because I really liked it. My mom would send me to baseball, but I wouldn’t go. I preferred to stay in boxing, and because I love boxing, it came so easy to me.”
“It’s almost every division from middleweight down,“ boxing author and historian Jose Corpas told The Ring. “This is the deepest pool [of Dominican talent] that you’ve seen.”
“We have more support,” Puello told The Ring. “Now, it’s easier for Dominican boxers to go everywhere, and mostly to the USA. That’s the door we have open right now. That’s why you see a lot of fighters making a lot of noise.”
Cruz brothers
The first fighter from the Dominican Republic to win a world title was Carlos “Teo” Cruz (42-13-2, 14 KOs), who spent much of his career training and fighting in Puerto Rico, like many fighters from the Dominican Republic at that time. He became the WBC lightweight champion when he defeated Puerto Rico’s Carlos Ortiz by split decision in Santo Domingo on June 29, 1968. Cruz’s triumph fulfilled the groundwork that was first laid by Dominicans Luis Emilio Perez (40-10-9, 12 KOs) and Carlos Perez (24-15-2, 12 KOs).
“When we start talking about Dominican history in boxing, you need to mention Carlos Teo Cruz,” Puello said. “[He was] the first one. He was the person who opened the door for all the champions you see now and all the champions who will come in the future. So that means a lot for me. Cruz was the main guy who opened the door, and now everybody’s coming through.”
Cruz won two fights after winning the title, including a unanimous decision over Mando Ramos (37-11-1, 23 KOs), but lost in a rematch by 11th-round stoppage due to cuts in February 1969. Cruz won four straight fights following the loss to Ramos, but a chance to become a two-time champion never came to fruition.
Cruz and his wife, Mildred, and their two children died in a plane crash in February 1970, on a flight from the Dominican Republic to Puerto Rico.
“The headlines in Puerto Rico said two countries are mourning today,” Corpas said. “Carlos lived in Puerto Rico and was married to a Puerto Rican. When he died, both the Puerto Rican and the Dominican newspapers were saying, ‘We’re mourning right now.’”
After his death, his younger brother, Leonardo “Leo” Cruz, went on to win the WBA junior featherweight title in a rematch against Argentina’s Sergio Victor Palma (52-5-5, 20 KOs) in June 1982. The win made Teo and Leo (41-7-3, 18 KOs) the first Latin brothers to win world titles. Leo defended his title three times, which still stands as the record for title defenses of one belt for a boxer from the Dominican Republic.
Good fighters came and went from the Dominican Republic before, during and after Leo’s reign as champion. Eleoncio Mercedes won the WBC flyweight title with a split decision over Freddy Castillo in November 1982. Miguel Montilla ascended the ranks but fell short twice against Colombia’s first world champion, Antonio Cervantes, in 1979 and ’80, and Aaron Pryor in 1982. Cervantes and Pryor are in the International Boxing Hall of Fame.
Rafael Torres became the first WBO minimumweight champion in 1989, while Hector Acero Sanchez, Julio Cesar Green and Luis Santana won world titles in the 1990s.
Including Teo and Leo, 27 fighters from the Dominican Republic have won world titles. Among them, Guzman and Katy Wilson Castillo are the only two-division champions. Guzman and Leo are the only fighters to notch multiple title defenses of a single belt.
Joel Guzman influence
However, consistent opportunities were still scarce for fighters from the Dominican Republic.
“In the ’90s, there were a lot of good Dominican boxers,” Guzman told The Ring. “But because they were seen here as opponents, they were good, but they were offered a fight when they were not ready, or they did it for the money. I was one of those who changed the mentality of the new school of Dominican boxing.
“When I came here after the Olympics in 1996, there weren’t a lot of good Dominican fighters here. Some people would see me sparring and think I’m Black because I look different. It’s the reason I started putting the Dominican flag on my trunks because everybody thought, ‘Oh, he’s Dominican, but he’s from the Bronx,’ but I didn’t speak English. I’m from DR.”
The seeds for this renaissance were largely planted by Guzman, 2008 Olympic gold medalist Felix Diaz and Cuban trainer Armando Hernandez, who is the longtime coach for the Dominican National Team. Guzman (34-1-1, 21 KOs) won titles at junior featherweight and junior lightweight. Before that, he went 310-10 as an amateur and won the Pan American Games in 1995 and fought at the ’96 Summer Olympics in Atlanta, before turning pro the following year. At his peak, Guzman was one of boxing’s best talents in the lower weight classes.
Guzman fought in the Dominican Republic for the first time in over three years in December 2006 to make the first defense of his WBO junior lightweight title. He delivered a dominant showing en route to a unanimous decision victory against Antonio Davis.
Guzman’s strong performance came with numerous prominent promoters in attendance, including Oscar De La Hoya, International Boxing Hall of Famer and Golden Boy Promotions CEO. Dominican journalist and YouTuber “Broadway Joel” credits Guzman’s performance against Davis as a turning point in drawing more attention to boxers from the country.
“While they were there, they were like, ‘Hey, man, if they’re producing them like Joan Guzman, we want to sign a few.’ Guys like Argenis Mendez, Claudio Marrero, Juan Carlos Payano, a lot of those guys got that opportunity because when Joan Guzman had that show, all those promoters went over there and were scouting, essentially. So, I think as far as the backing [and] the support, I think where that started was from that show. That’s the one where a lot of people started finding more interest in investing in Dominican boxers.
“Joan came across at a time when you had much more access to see things. He had cable, he had Internet, so he profited from that, plus he was a beautiful fighter to watch. Joan Guzman was very influential.”
“I wanted to change Dominican boxing,“ Guzman said. “My first defense of the title in the Dominican Republic, a lot of promoters were there and Dominican boxing changed. Oscar De La Hoya and a lot of good promoters were there and started signing Dominican fighters.”
Payano went on to be a two-time Olympian (2004 and ’08) and won the WBA bantamweight title in 2016.
Hernandez has played a vital role in the development of the fighters who have emerged from the Dominican Republic. Few countries, if any, have had more sustained success on the amateur scene and in the Olympics than Cubans, and Hernandez brought that school of teaching to the Dominican Republic. The discipline that Hernandez has instilled in his fighters slide has extended well beyond boxing.
“We had a trainer over there, Armando Hernandez, who we’ve had since we were kids, and he implemented discipline in us,” Polanco said. “He taught us discipline, and that’s why Dominican boxing is changing a lot, because we grew up with that discipline and the discipline that you need to be successful in professional boxing.”
“When I do my interviews, when I ask the same question you ask, his name comes up, and something specifically Elvis Rodriguez told me was he teaches you discipline,” Joel said. “He teaches you how to be structured in everything, not just boxing.”
With Hernandez’s guidance, the Dominican Republic has produced more quality prospects and had two fighters win bronze medals at the 2024 Paris Olympics. Light heavyweight Cristian Javier Pinales at light heavyweight and flyweight Yunior Alcantara Reyes became the first Dominican tandem to win medals at the same Olympics.
Diaz defeated reigning gold medal winner, Thailand’s Manus Boonjumnong, to win the gold at junior welterweight at the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing, China, making him the first and only fighter from the island to accomplish the feat. Pedro Nolasco was the first fighter from the Dominican Republic to medal the Olympics in 1984 in Los Angeles, where he won bronze at bantamweight.
Corpas also credits Shuan Boxing Promotions for its role in putting on events and helping get more fighters from the Dominican Republic more opportunities.
“Those were pivotal moments,” Corpas said of Guzman, Diaz and Shuan Boxing. “Then you had all the Cuban trainers come into the Dominican Republic. Shuan Boxing, they were one of the first steady, reliable Dominican promoters that were putting on regular shows. They didn’t have any stars until recently, but you get all that work. You get all that practice and now the trainers have become better, the gyms can operate, and it has a trickle-down effect and that’s where you’ve seen a lot of that. Those are the roots, and now you see the flowers coming out.”
Polanco could be the future
Polanco isn’t far off from earning his first world title shot.
“He’s definitely the highest-touted prospect,” Corpas said. “Whether or not he’s the best for me remains to be seen, but he’s definitely the highest touted. They’ve really given him a lot of love and support.”
Guzman agreed.
“Rright now, Rohan is the most talented fighter I can see,” Guzman said. “I like the attitude he’s got. He’s like, ‘I’m the man in the ring.’ I like the attitude he’s got because no one sees a Dominican fighter with this kind of attitude.”
Baseball has long been the sport most synonymous with the Dominican Republic. With the success numerous boxers have had, boxing has gone from a sport one would be taking a chance on the island to a more than viable alternative.
“If you want to start in baseball, you need to have more money because you need to pay an instructor [or go to a] baseball school,” Puello said. “When we tried to go to baseball, we didn’t have enough money to pay for all the things necessary to start. When we go to boxing, the teacher says you only need a coach, a pair of shoes, a shirt and you can start now.”
“Soon 10 more years, boxing will be the same as baseball,“ Guzman said.
The groundwork was laid by Teo Cruz, Leo Cruz, Guzman and other former champions and fighters who fell just short of winning a world title, making a name for themselves when it wasn’t as prominent in the Dominican Republic. With the growing support of fans there and top promoters, Polanco could be the one who takes boxing to a stratosphere it has never reached.
“Being one of the faces of boxing in the Dominican Republic means proudly representing my country,” Polanco said. “It involves not only the responsibility to compete and win, but also to inspire young athletes and promote boxing as a sport. It’s also an opportunity to grow the sport in the nation and showcase Dominican talent to the world.”
Dec. 5, 2025, 4:08 a.m. CT
The Nebraska volleyball team (30-0) was selected as the No. 1 overall seed for the 2025 NCAA tournament on Sunday night. The Cornhuskers will open the tournament on Friday against the Long Island Sharks (20-8) at the John Cook Arena.
The other first-round game in Lincoln will see San Diego face Kansas State at 4:30 p.m. CT. The Huskers will host the first and second rounds this Friday and Saturday at the Bob Devaney Sports Center. The second round game is Saturday at 7 p.m. CT.
Nebraska’s offense ranks first nationally with a .352 hitting percentage. The defense is equally impressive, ranking first nationally in opponent hitting percentage at .125.
Junior Harper Murray leads the team with 3.55 kills and 2.15 digs per set and a team high 28 aces. Setter Bergen Reilly runs the offense at an elite level with an average of 10.31 assists and 2.73 digs per set. Middle blocker Andi Jackson is averaging 2.75 kills per set on .467 hitting with 1.13 blocks per set.
The Sharks enter the tournament with an automatic bid after winning the Northeast Conference tournament. LIU is led by Sara van Gisteren, who averages 3.92 kills per set. She was also named the NEC tournament MVP. Karly Klaer was named the NEC setter of the year with 10.06 assists per set.
Nebraska will be playing Long Island for the second time ever. The teams met in the first round of the 2023 NCAA Tournament, with the Huskers winning 25-13, 25-16, 25-22.
Watch Nebraska volleyball vs Long Island live on ESPN+
Here’s how to watch the Nebraska volleyball vs Long Island game on Friday, including time, TV schedule, and streaming information:
What channel is Nebraska volleyball vs Long Island on?
TV Channel: N/A
Livestream:ESPN+ (subscriber only)
Nebraska-Long Island volleyball in the first round of the NCAA tournament can be seen on ESPN+. Huskers Radio Network will have audio coverage of all Nebraska matches on Huskers Radio Network affiliates, Huskers.com and the Huskers app. John Baylor and Lauren Cook West will be on the call. Streaming options for the game include ESPN+.
Nebraska volleyball vs Long Island time today
- Date: Friday, Dec. 5
- Start time: 7 p.m. CT
The Nebraska volleyball vs Long Island first-round NCAA tournament game starts at 7 p.m. CT from the Bob Devaney Sports Center in Lincoln, NE.
Nebraska volleyball 2025 schedule (30-0, 20-0)
Aug. 22 – vs. Pittsburgh – WIN 3-1 (25-22, 25-11, 20-25, 25-23)
Aug. 24 – vs. Stanford – WIN 3-0 (25-13, 25-19, 25-14)
Aug. 29 – at Lipscomb – WIN 3-0 (25-13, 25-21, 25-15)
Aug. 31 – vs Kentucky – WIN 3-2 (24-26, 20-25, 25-19, 25-23, 15-8)
Sept. 5 – vs. Wright State – WIN 3-0 (25-16, 25-16, 25-20)
Sept. 7 – vs. California – WIN 3-0 (25-15, 25-18, 25-12)
Sept. 12 – vs. Utah – WIN 3-1 (21-25, 25-8, 25-18, 25-13)
Sept. 13 – vs. Grand Canyon – WIN 3-0 (25-12, 25-23, 25-18)
Sept. 16 – at Creighton – WIN 3-2 (25-17, 21-25, 25-18, 24-26, 15-9)
Sept. 20 – vs. Arizona – WIN 3-0 (25-19, 25-23, 25-18)
Sept. 24 – vs. Michigan – WIN 3-0 (25-6, 25-15, 25-13)
Sept. 27 – vs. Maryland – WIN 3-0 (25-14, 27-25, 25-14)
Oct. 3 – at Penn State – WIN 3-0 (25-6, 25-15, 25-13)
Oct. 4 – at Rutgers – WIN 3-0 (25-17, 25-15, 25-16)
Oct. 10 – vs. Washington – WIN 3-0 (25-14, 25-18, 25-16)
Oct. 12 – at Purdue – WIN 3-0 (25-23, 25-16, 25-15)
Oct. 17 – at Michigan State – WIN 3-0 (25-15, 25-18, 25-20)
Oct. 19 – at Michigan – WIN 3-0 (25-18, 25-13, 25-18)
Oct. 24 – vs. Northwestern – WIN 3-0 (25-17, 25-13, 25-17)
Oct. 25 – vs. Michigan State – WIN 3-0 (25-15, 25-15, 25-18)
Oct. 31 – at Wisconsin – WIN 3-0 (25-22, 25-19, 25-13)
Nov. 2 – vs. Oregon – WIN 3-0 (25-21, 25-20, 25-12)
Nov. 6 – vs. Illinois – WIN 3-0 (25-11, 25-15, 25-14)
Nov. 8 – at Minnesota – WIN 3-0 (25-15, 25-21, 25-20)
Nov. 14 – at UCLA – WIN 3-1 (25-17, 25-23, 19-25, 25-15)
Nov. 16 – at USC – WIN 3-0 (25-13, 25-16, 25-20)
Nov. 20 – vs. Iowa – WIN 3-0 (25-15, 25-21, 25-18)
Nov. 22 – at Indiana – WIN 3-0 (25-19, 25-16, 25-22)
Nov. 28 – vs. Penn State – WIN 3-0 (25-14, 25-11, 25-14)
Nov. 29 – vs. Ohio State – WIN 3-0 (25-16, 25-13, 25-20)
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Updated Dec. 4, 2025, 9:00 p.m. ET
Tennessee volleyball chose a bad time to play its worst volleyball of the season.
The No. 7 seed Lady Vols were on their heels in the beginning of the match against Utah State, and they didn’t have enough to complete the reverse-sweep. Tennessee (20-8) fell 3-2 to the Aggies (24-7) in a shocking upset in the first round of the NCAA tournament at Desert Financial Arena in Tempe, Arizona, on Dec. 4.
The Lady Vols won two straight sets to make it a five-set thriller, and they battled from behind the entire fifth set, which they ultimately lost 15-11. In the end, it wasn’t enough to recover from their poor start.
By the time Tennessee started playing like its season was on the line, it was staring down a reverse sweep to advance. But against a red-hot Utah State team, which entered the tournament on a 21-game winning streak, the late push wasn’t enough.
In the first two sets, the Aggies picked apart the Lady Vols defense at the net and on the floor – it was a clinical dismantling by Utah State, which made all the scrappy, game-winning plays of a team that swept the Mountain West championships.
The Lady Vols made a fierce comeback attempt, turning the tide with sharper, more aggressive serving in the third and fourth sets to force a five-set thriller. They found their footing on defense, and they got a spark from Sydney Jones to launch and more balanced attack.
Outside hitter Starr Williams was a bright spot in the offense, especially while Tennessee looks all out of sorts the first two sets. She continued to be a focal point all match, and she logged 15 kills with a .387 hitting percentage, along with seven digs and four blocks.
Jones was a difference-maker as a reserve, and she continued to score points for the Lady Vols when they needed them. Jones ended the night with 12 kills, and Hayden Kubik also added 12 kills.
The Lady Vols’ offense hit just .228 as a team, while they allowed Utah State to hit .312. They struggled to slow down the Aggies’ attack between Tierney Barlow, who ended the match with 16 kills, and Loryn Helgesen and Andrea Simovski, who both had 14 kills.
Tennessee middle blocker Zoe Humphrey did not travel with the team, according to the ESPN broadcast.
Tennessee volleyball vs. Utah State: Live score updates
When does Tennessee volleyball vs. Utah State start?
- Date: Thursday, Dec. 4
- Time: 6:30 p.m. ET
- Where: Desert Financial Arena in Tempe, Arizona.
What TV channel is Tennessee vs. Utah State on today?
Tennessee volleyball schedule 2025
Last 10 games
- Dec. 4: vs. Utah State in Tempe, Arizona, 6:30 p.m. ET on ESPN+
- Nov. 24: vs. Kentucky in SEC tournament, L 1-3
- Nov. 23: vs. Florida in SEC tournament, W 3-1
- Nov. 16: Oklahoma, W 3-1
- Nov. 14: Arkansas, W 3-0
- Nov. 9: at Kentucky, L 1-3
- Nov. 7: at Vanderbilt, W 3-0
- Nov. 2: Texas A&M, L 1-3
- Oct. 31: Missouri, L 1-3
- Oct. 26: at Mississippi State, W 3-1
Cora Hall is the University of Tennessee women’s athletics reporter for Knox News. Email: cora.hall@knoxnews.com; X: @corahalll; Bluesky: @corahall.bsky.social. Support strong local journalism and unlock premium perks:knoxnews.com/subscribe
The DI women’s volleyball championship is here. The tournament continues Friday, Dec. 5 with both first and second round matches and lasts until the national championship on Sunday, Dec. 21 at T-Mobile Center in Kansas City, Missouri.
The full 64-team bracket was announced on Sunday, Nov. 30. Thirty-one conference champions earned automatic bids to the tournament, with the NCAA DI women’s volleyball committee selecting 33 other teams as at-large picks.
Here is everything you need to know about the 2025 women’s volleyball championship.
2025 DI women’s volleyball championship bracket
👉 Click or tap to see the interactive bracket
2025 DI women’s volleyball championship schedule
All times listed in ET
- First round: Dec. 4-5
- Second round: Dec. 5-6
- Regionals: Dec. 11 and 13 or Dec. 12 and 14
- Semifinals: Thursday, Dec. 18
- National championship: 3:30 p.m. on Sunday, Dec. 21 | ABC
- Selection show: 6 p.m. on Sunday, Nov. 30
- First round:
- Thursday, Dec. 4
- No. 5 Colorado 3, American 0
- No. 6 Baylor 3, Arkansas State 2
- No. 8 UCLA 3, Georgia Tech 2
- No. 5 Miami (Fla.) 3, Tulsa 1
- No. 4 Indiana 3, Toledo 0
- No. 6 UNI 3, Utah 2
- North Carolina 3, No. 6 UTEP 1
- Utah State 3, No. 7 Tennessee 2
- No. 1 Kentucky 3, Wofford 0
- No. 3 Purdue 3, Wright State 0
- No. 4 Kansas 3, High Point 0
- Cal Poly 3, No. 5 BYU 2
- No. 3 Creighton 3, Northern Colorado 2
- No. 3 Wisconsin 3, Eastern Illinois 0
- No. 2 Arizona State 3, Coppin State 0
- No. 4 USC 3, Princeton 0
- Thursday, Dec. 4
DI women’s volleyball championship history
Here is the complete history of DI women’s volleyball champions:
UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. – Penn State track & field is set to begin its indoor slate with a three-meet split-squad weekend. The Nittany Lions will start their week in Philadelphia on Friday, Dec. 5 at the Penn Opener, also competing on Saturday, Dec. 6. On Saturday, there will also be Nittany Lions competing at the Bucknell Opener in Lewisburg, and the Sharon-Colyear Danville Season Opener in Boston on Saturday. Dec. 6.
Penn State is set to begin the 2025-26 indoor season while continuing to build off its success from a season ago. The men’s squad finished 12th in the Big Ten last indoor season while the women finished seventh. The squad returns six All-Americans from last year’s indoor team including 2024 First Team All-Americans Handal Roban and Hayley Kitching.
Head Coach John Gondak enters his 12th season leading the Nittany Lion track & field program. His coaching resume includes 62 First Team All-Americans and 11 Big Ten team titles.
PENN OPENER – Friday-Saturday, December 5-6
Live Results | Watch on Saturday (ESPN+)
Penn State will send seven athletes to compete at the Penn Opener. Maddie Pitts will be the lone competitor on Friday in the pentathlon.
BUCKNELL OPENER – Saturday, December 6
Live Results
The largest group of Nittany Lions will be headed to Lewisburg to compete in the Bucknell Opener. 36 athletes in field events and sprints will be the main competition group for PSU this weekend at Bucknell.
SHARON COLYEAR-DANVILLE SEASON OPENER – Saturday, December 6
Live Results | Watch (FloTrack)
Penn State will be sending 10 athletes to Boston for season opening action. The middle distance/distance group will make up the group competing against some of the top talent in the nation.
FULL 2025-26 INDOOR TRACK & FIELD SCHEDULE
Dec. 5-6 – Penn Opener | Philadelphia, Pa.
Dec. 6 – Bucknell Opener | Lewisburg, Pa.
Dec. 6 – Sharon Colyear-Danville Season Opener | Boston, Mass.
Jan. 17 – Nittany Lion Challenge | University Park, Pa.
Jan. 24 – Penn 10 Team Elite | Philadelphia, Pa.
Jan. 30-31 – Penn State National Open | University Park, Pa.
Feb. 7 – Sykes & Sabock Challenge | University Park, Pa.
Feb. 13-14 – Tyson Invitational | Fayetteville, Ark.
Feb. 13-14 – David Hemery Valentine Invitational | Boston, Mass.
Feb. 20 – Penn State Tune-Up | University Park, Pa.
Feb. 27-28 – Big Ten Indoor Championships | Indianapolis, Ind.
Mar. 13-14 – NCAA Indoor Championships | Fayetteville, Ark.
FOLLOW THE NITTANY LIONS
Follow along with the team on our social media pages on Facebook (PennStateTFXC) and X/Instagram (@pennstatetfxc). Live updates on race day regarding start times and other important notes will be posted on X.
Sports
#11 Creighton Volleyball Outlasts Northern Colorado to Advance to Second Round of NCAA Tournament
Courtesy of Rob Anderson, Creighton Athletics
OMAHA, Neb. — No. 11 Creighton Volleyball was pushed to the brink but survived to win its 21st straight match on Thursday evening, opening up NCAA Tournament play with a 3-2 victory over Northern Colorado. Scores of the Bluejay triumph were 25-12, 23-25, 23-25, 25-17, 15-8.
Creighton earns itself a Second Round match-up against Northern Iowa (26-5) after the sixth-seeded Panthers finished off their first reverse sweep in the NCAA Tournament since 2022 with a 15-25, 21-25, 26-24, 25-20, 15-10 win over Utah. Creighton defeated the Panthers at D.J. Sokol Arena on Sept. 14 to close out play at the Bluejay Invitational.
Five women had multiple kills in the first set as Creighton powered past Northern Colorado, led by six kills from Ava Martin. Martin also had a pair of aces late in the set to solidify CU’s 25-12 victory. The Jays hit .438 and had 17 kills to UNC’s six kills on .000 hitting and never trailed in the frame.
UNC snapped Creighton’s 17-set win streak with a 25-23 victory in the second set, which featured nine ties and five lead changes. Isabel Bennett had go-ahead kills to make it 23-22 and 24-23 and Alayna Tessena put down the winner on set point. Northern Colorado had 15 kills and 18 digs in the second set and held the Bluejays to 11 kills and .200 hitting. Martin had seven kills for CU in the second set, while Sydney Breissinger added six digs.
The Bears won the first three points of the third set and moved in front 8-4 to force an early timeout from CU head coach Brian Rosen. The stoppage did little to improve the fortunes for the hosts, who called another timeout six points later after falling behind 12-6 to the Big Sky Tournament champions. The second timeout did the trick, as the Bluejays countered with an 8-2 burst to even the score at 14-all. Northern Colorado settled down, never surrendering the lead, and led 23-20 before one last push from the hosts. Martin pounded her 18th kill of the night, and Nora Wurtz followed with her 56th ace of the fall to cut CU’s deficit to 23-22 and lead UNC coach Lydnsey Oates to call timeout. Martin slammed a cross-court kill to tie the score at 23-all, but UNC answered with a Zoe Gibbs kill for a set point opportunity. The Bears won the set on a Bluejay attack error, 25-23.
The Bluejays got off to a 6-2 lead in the fourth set thanks in part to three early UNC hitting errors, then extended the advantage to 14-6. The Jays won the set 25-17, with freshman Abbey Hayes stepping up with a team-best four kills. CU had 4.5 blocks in the set, including one of set point from Reinhardt and Martin.
Creighton got off to a quick start in the fifth frame, scoring the first three points on two Martin kills and a UNC attack error. CU led 8-3 at the changeover
Martin was dominant with 30 kills on 65 swings, while Jaya Johnson finished with 12 kills. Reinhardt rounded out the Bluejays in double figure kills with 10. Annalea Maeder closed the match with a double-double, delivering 53 assists and 20 digs.
Tessena led Northern Colorado with 14 kills, while Brynn Reines finished with 11 kills
First serve of tomorrow’s Second Round match is at 6:30 p.m.
NOTES: Creighton improved to 18-14 all-time in 15 NCAA Tournament appearances, including a 12-3 mark in the First Round … Creighton has won 21 straight matches, its third-longest streak in program history … Creighton is now 8-4 in home matches in the NCAA Tournament, including five straight victories … Creighton has won its last 11 home matches this fall … Creighton is now 4-1 all-time against Northern Colorado … Creighton has won 68 straight matches over unranked foes and 56 non-televised matches in a row … Ava Martinmoved into third place in CU history in career service aces with 126 … Ava Martinhad her 25th straight match with 10 or more kills and 108th in a row with five or more kills … Ava Martin had her 13th career match with 20+ kills, and seventh this season.
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