Bears Sweep Way into District Semifinals

MESQUITE, Texas – Trynity Hicks sent a ball to the floor off the serve.

It was termination point.

Indeed, Dallas College Brookhaven's seventh-ranked volleyball team aced its first test in the postseason, and pulled within a match of the .500 mark, following a 25-11, 25-15, 25-10 sweep of Dallas College Cedar Valley in the National Junior College Athletic Association Division III South District quarterfinals Wednesday at Dallas College Eastfield.

The win sends the Bears (13-14) on to Friday's 7 p.m. semifinals against Dallas College North Lake (16-17).

Brookhaven, which finished third in the nation last year, ripped off 13 aces, including three by Hicks, in a match the Bears hit .222 to pick up their second straight sweep over Cedar Valley (0-17). It was Brookhaven's seventh sweep of the season, and sets up a rematch with North Lake, who split the season series with the Bears this year.

Cedar Valley transfer Laila Beck had seven kills, and hit .417 for Brookhaven, which did not surrender an ace in Wednesday's sweep. Madison Beasley finished with nine kills, 10 digs and three aces, while hitting .308. Lauren Howson had five kills and a .444 attack percentage. Jordan Bruscato had 16 assists, four aces and eight digs. Emma Borders had 14 assists and three aces. Hicks had 14 digs, and Caroline Simpson five kills and 11 digs.

The Suns, who outblocked the Bears, 5-2, were held to a -.052 hitting percentage.

Cedar Valley's Allison Pittman had four kills. Haven Hernandez and Miranda Roberts each had three block assists, and Mia Smith two solo blocks. Araceli Pena finished with six digs, and Linisa Hernandez and Lanie Wink five apiece. Carolina Alonso had six assists.

Brookhaven had 49 digs to Cedar Valley's 29, and put down 35 balls to the Suns' 12 kills.

The Bears have advanced to the district championship in every season 20-year head coach Jason Hopkins has been at the helm.