Chasing Four
GREENVILLE, S.C. -- The Sabercats landed in South Carolina yesterday and have begun their final preparations for their fourth consecutive NCCAA DII national title.
The target on their backs has only grown as they have amassed their postseason success, and this year's tournament is slated to be perhaps the steepest challenge the Sabercats have faced during the entire process.
SEEDING BREAKDOWN
| Seed | Pool | Institution | Qualifying Method | Record |
| #1 | A | Bob Jones | South Region Champion | 30-5 |
| #4 | A | Emmaus | At-Large Selection | 23-4 |
| #5 | A | Johnson | Mideast Region Champion | 25-6 |
| #8 | A | Randall | At-Large Selection | 17-18 |
| --------- | -------- | ---------------------------- | ----------------------------------- | -------- |
| #2 | B | Maranatha | North Region Champion | 20-12 |
| #3 | B | Geneva | At-Large Selection | 18-12 |
| #6 | B | Toccoa Falls | At-Large Selection | 25-9 |
| #7 | B | Arlington Baptist | Southwest Region Champion | 14-16 |
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INSIDE THE MATCHUPS
The Sabercats are the #2 seed and will compete in Pool B with #3 Geneva, #6 Toccoa Falls, and #7 Arlington Baptist. Here's a sneak peek at each opponent:
#3 Geneva -- The Golden Tornadoes are competing in the NCCAA postseason for the first time. Their schedule this year was exclusively against NCAA DIII opponents. Geneva qualified for this year's tournament as an at-large selection despite not competing in a single NCCAA competition. GC leads the NCCAA DII in assists and ranks second in kills.
#6 Toccoa Falls -- The Screaming Eagles were the first team to take a set off of the Sabercats in pool play in this entire fourpeat run. This year, Toccoa Falls lost in a three-set clash with Bob Jones for the South Region Tournament title.
#7 Arlington Baptist -- The Patriots won the Southwest Region Championship with a dramatic 3-2 win over Randall University, who holds the #8 seed at this year's national tournament. ABU is known for their ability to frustrate opponents' attacks, as they rank 3rd in the NCCAA DII in blocks per set and opponents attack percentage.
DID YOU KNOW?
- MBU holds a 16-0 record over the last three national tournaments
- The Sabercats have completed the fourpeat once before (1989-1992)
- Sara Beernink Johnson - mother of Karley and Kelsey - was a member of the original fourpeat
- The Sabercats hold a set record of 48-2 since the first match of the 2015 tournament
- McKenzie Janke (North Region Libero of the Year) ranks 4th in the NCCAA DII in digs per set (4.75)
HOW TO FOLLOW
Visit mbusabercats.com/composite for results and follow the #Sabercats on Twitter (@MBUSabercats) for updates.
