T-Birds Earn First Win at NJCAA Volleyball Championship 

The Thunderbirds bounced back against Mineral Area with a four-set win in the NJCAA Volleyball Championship Consolation match (25-14, 25-10, 23-25, 25-21). 

The T-Birds notched their 30th win, which is the most victories in a single season in program history. Sophomore Iva Popovic also made history Thursday morning. The outside hitter eclipsed 1,000 career kills on her 17th kill of the morning. This was the first time in program history a T-Bird has surpassed 1,000 kills in her career. 

The T-Birds got off to a blazing start in the first half of set one as NMJC took a commanding 17-9 lead midway through the set. Back-to-back service aces by middle blocker Karielys Maldonado ended the set 25-14 in favor of the Thunderbirds.

The T-Birds were ahead in set two 14-6 halfway through. NMJC scored five straight to push the lead to 13 points, 19-6. Popovic capped off the set for the T-Birds with a massive kill down the line to finish the set 25-10 and give the Thunderbirds a 2-0 lead. 

NMJC was in a battle in the third set down 16-11. A 4-0 run propelled by a block and kill by Iva Popovic pulled the T-Birds within two, 19-17. The Cardinals pulled away at the end of the set to take a 24-19 lead. The T-Birds cut the lead to one point, 24-23, following a Gaby Arias kill, Nickilah Whatley kill, Maldonado ace, and another Arias kill. Mineral Area escaped the T-Bird rally with a kill to finish the third set 25-23.

The T-Birds were behind early in set four 9-7. NMJC regained the lead with a 4-1 run to put themselves in front 11-10. Midway through the fourth set NMJC and Mineral Area were all knotted up 14-14.

NMJC trailed 20-19 when Arias hit the ball across the court and out of bounds. The T-Birds challenged the call, and it was overturned via a tip in favor of NMJC, which tied the score up at 20 apiece. A Whatley block and Arias kill pulled the T-Birds ahead 24-21. NMJC won the match 25-21 after the Cardinals blasted a ball out of bounds to seal the four-set win.       

Iva Popovic finished with 23 digs, tied a season-high with 21 kills, and added three blocks. Thursday's win marked the 12th time this year Popovic has recorded a double-double. 

Outside hitter Gaby Arias recorded 16 kills and seven digs. Setter Taina de Lima Nunes registered 28 assists and nine digs. Sude Omerickoglu also tallied 25 assists and eight digs.

Libero Addison Carillo finished with 15 digs and six assists. Right side Polianna Hernandez recorded 10 kills and four blocks. Karielys Maldonado had a tremendous stat line with six kills, six digs, six blocks, and four service aces. Middle blocker Nickilah Whatley registered nine kills and four blocks. 

The T-Birds move to 30-7 on the year and will play Friday, Nov. 17 at 1 p.m. CST against Casper College in the consolation bracket of the 2023 NJCAA Volleyball Championship.