By Jacob Norling
December 2, 2022
 
(SIOUX CITY, Iowa.) Westmont College Volleyball never stopped fighting, but on Friday night in Sioux City the Warriors' final season in the NAIA came to an end in the final Pool C tiebreaker. In the first of two one-set tiebreakers, the Warriors prevailed over the Bellevue Bruins by a score of 25-21, but in the final Pool C tiebreaker, Westmont fell to the Midland Warriors by a score of 25-20.
 
"We never gave up," said Westmont head coach Ruth McGolpin. "We were scrambling, there were bodies on the ground, and we never stopped swinging. Even down to the set point, we never stopped fighting. To continue to fight is a Westmont trait, and what Westmont Volleyball is all about in a nutshell."
 
Needing to win two one-set tiebreakers, Westmont began play against Bellevue at 9:00 p.m. CST, and fell behind briefly by a score of 1-0. Immediately, Westmont scored twice to go up 2-1, and from there, the Warriors never trailed again.
 
A kill from Jessie Terlizzi put Westmont up 9-5 going into Bellevue's first timeout, and soon after, the Bruins fought back to tie it at 10. Then, two kills and a block from Phoebe Minch sparked a 7-2 run that caused Bellevue to use their final timeout down 17-12.
 
Bellevue never again got within striking distance, and in the end, Minch's fourth kill of the set allowed Westmont to win it 25-21, setting up a final set to 25 against Midland.
 
Against Midland, Westmont was first on the board, but just as Westmont did to Bellevue, Midland quickly flipped the script to take a 3-1 advantage. Midland collected nine early kills to take an 11-7 advantage into McGolpin's first timeout, with Westmont quickly running out of time.
 
However, as McGolpin's Warriors have done all season, the group continued to fight. Down 12-7, kills from Minch and Terlizzi bookended an 8-3 run that allowed Westmont to tie the game at 15, and roar to the heavens for the final time in 2022.
 
Midland followed up Westmont's 8-3 run with a 9-1 run of their own, going up 24-16 with the finish line in sight. To leave a fitting lasting impression, Westmont scored on four consecutive possessions, forcing Midland to call one final timeout.
 
Then, Midland's 17th kill of the set gave the team a 25-20 win, and the right to advance to the NAIA Quarterfinals on Saturday. McGolpin's team shook hands with the victors, grabbed their bags, and headed into the tunnel to share one final post game talk in private.
 
The Warriors spent 29 minutes together in the tunnel before making their way to their families, and out of the Tyson Events Center.
 
"I asked each member of the team to share one thing they would remember about the season," shared McGolpin. "Volleyball related or not, I just wanted them to be able to share something positive that they'll remember.
 
"Each person, including the coaching staff, got to share that. The memories made by these women were less about what happened on the volleyball court and more about the moments in-between. It is a group of sisters."
 
With the end of the campaign, the careers of Lexi Malone, Keelyn Kistner, and Alexa Gatiss officially come to an end at Westmont College. The three will be remembered for being a part of the first team in Westmont history to play in the Championship match (2019), but more so, for embodying what it means to be a Westmont Warrior for four long and emotional years.
 
While their freshman year was highlighted by Westmont's run to the title game, the trio's sophomore and junior seasons were plagued by the harsh realities of the COVID-19 pandemic. As seniors, in a year that resembled more normalcy, the women helped rebuild the foundation of community that Westmont Volleyball has always offered.
 
"The team continuously reiterated the fact that our chemistry remained strong all season, and that was a testament of our senior leadership," said McGolpin. "It'll hit me later, because this group of seniors is my first four-year class as a head coach.
 
"Alexa Gatiss is extremely special to me. She is a selfless person who is going to be successful in whatever she does. Even though she hasn't gotten the minutes on the floor, she has always meant a lot to this team. She continues to be someone who is inspiring to everyone.
 
"Keelyn is one of the best setters that Westmont College has had. She has fantastic hands, and she provides leadership both on and off the court. Then for Lexi Malone, now we can say it, she's been playing through a major injury the entire year. That alone is a testament to who she is as a person, and what she's brought to this program goes beyond words."
 
When asked what she will remember about the 2022 Westmont Volleyball team, McGolpin said, "I'll remember this group for the chemistry they had. Obviously, as the last time to play in the NAIA, I'll also remember them based upon that as well.
 
"I'm proud of the experiences we were able to have with it being our last year in the NAIA. The fact that we've been on the road for five weeks straight and made it this far, while they're still maintaining their academics as best as they can, says a lot of who they are.
 
"Their perseverance and grit has put Westmont College Volleyball on the map."
 
The 2022 Westmont Volleyball team will be remembered for winning the GSAC Regular Championship, and for sweeping their way through an Opening Round in Montana. They will be remembered for beating the #3 team in the nation and advancing to a final tiebreaker in the program's final trip to Sioux City.
 
Along with that, the group will be remembered for stuffing game day flyers throughout each and every dorm room on Westmont's campus, and with that, bringing a packed-house back to Murchison Gymnasium. Above all else, they will be remembered for the joy they displayed each and every time they shared the court.
 
While the season has come to an end, the 2022 Westmont Volleyball team is one that will not be soon forgotten.