Midland University Goes 2-1 in #NebraskaStrong Invitational
Berk Brown
<p>FREMONT - Midland University, ranked #8 nationally in NAIA, got off to a 2-1 start to the season over the weekend during the #NebraskaStrong Invitational in Fremont.</p>
<p>On Saturday, Midland defeated St. Ambrose University 25-17, 25-23, 25-11 and then added a 25-20, 25-22, 23-25, 25-16 win over Briar Cliff later in the day. Those two wins followed a season-opening loss to #3-ranked Grand View 25-15, 25-20, 16-25, 25-22 on Friday night in the marquee match of the tournament. </p>
<p>"We'll take the 2-1. Come Monday, though, we'll get back in the gym and work on getting better," Midland coach Paul Giesselmann said. "That's the thing right now, we're really young and really inconsistent but I do think this team could be a decent team come November."</p>
<p>In the win over Briar Cliff, Louisville native Maggie Hiatt had 25 kills to lead the Warriors on .455 hitting while Auburn's Taylor Petersen had 10 kills, four digs and 1.5 blocks. Lincoln Lutheran's Hope Leimbach had a team-high 34 assists in the win and Taliyah Flores from Papillion-LaVista South had 22 digs.</p>
<p>For Briar Cliff, Fort Calhoun native Grace Whitlaw had three kills and 3.5 blocks for the Chargers and Omaha Central's Tyra Blue added one kill.</p>
<p>In Midland's win over St. Ambrose, Papillion-LaVista South grad Sydney Morehouse had a team-best 11 kills while hitting .292 and Leimbach had 14 assists while Stanton's Bree Burtwistle added 13. Flores led the Warriors with 15 digs while Burtwistle and North Bend's Brooke Frederickson each had nine and Gretna's Jaisa Russell had eight.</p>
<p>In the loss to Grand View, Petersen led Midland with 13 kills while Hiatt and Morehouse each had 10 and Hartington Cedar Catholic's Maddie Wieseler and Frederickson each had seven. Flores had 18 digs and Frederickson had 11 for Midland and Burtwistle had a team-best 24 assists.</p>
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