Cougars Advance to AMC Semifinals

Columbia, Mo. – The No. 14-ranked Columbia College volleyball team brought home an American Midwest Conference (AMC) quarterfinal tournament win against Lyon (Ark.) this evening, 3-0. The Cougars came on top 25-21, 25-16, 25-12.
 
Columbia worked up a 7-2 lead off two kills and five attack errors from the Scots. Lyon began to make their way back into the contest with seven-straight points causing Columbia to timeout. The Scots led 18-14, but the Cougars responded with seven of their own, putting them back on top, 21-18. Two key kills by Beyza Bektasoglu extended the Cougar advantage as they put the first set away 25-21.
 
The Cougars produced their match-high of 16 kills in the following set, compared to the Scots seven. Back-to-back kills from Allana Capella put Columbia on top 3-1. Capella led both teams with 11 kills on the night. Columbia posed an 11-7 advantage after securing three kills with a combined effort from Danielle Prior and Bektasoglu. After Lyon took an offensive shot of their own, the Cougars jumped on an 8-0 run, grabbing a 19-8 lead. The Scots got within six, but it would not be enough as the Cougars captured a 25-16 second set victory.

In the final set of the night, Columbia produced a hitting percentage of .407, the highest of the match. They also recorded four of their six service aces in the concluding moments. The Cougars got off to a 7-3 lead with an explosive offense of five kills. Luisa Ferreira and Capella had kills of their own to extend the Cougar advantage, 16-6. It was all Columbia from their as they went on to document a 25-12 final set.
 
Capella produced a match-high of 11 kills to lead the way for the Cougars. Bektasoglu also noted 10 kills hitting .400 percent and securing 12.5 points.

Reigning AMC Player of the Week and current AMC Setter of the Year, Luisa Ferreira, finished with 32 assists and nine digs. 
 
The Cougars will host Stephens (Mo.) in semifinal action of the AMC tournament on Friday, November 11 at 4 p.m.