WIN AND WAIT

By Brandon Petersen

Westcliff did what it needed to do Wednesday night in Cedar Rapids.

Now, the Warriors wait.

The No. 9 seed Warriors defeated No. 8 OUAZ 3-1 (25-18, 25-20, 22-25, 25-15) in NAIA National Championship pool play, securing a critical win while setting a new program record with their 21st victory of the season.

But with a loss to No. 1 Park already in the books, Westcliff's path forward now rests in the final pool result — OUAZ must defeat Park for the Warriors to advance.

Until then, the work is done.

Westcliff delivered a composed, efficient performance against a familiar opponent, one it split with during the regular season as both teams protected home court. On a neutral floor, with the season hanging in the balance, the Warriors found the edge.

After taking the opening two sets behind a .375 and .455 hitting effort, Westcliff absorbed a response from OUAZ in the third before closing the match emphatically in the fourth, hitting .632 to seal it.

Cal Pac Player of the Year Gabriel Pizza led the way with 13 kills on a .393 hitting percentage, while Rodolfo Biegelmeyer added 10 kills on .500 efficiency. M'hamed Mifdal chipped in six kills without an error, and Nikos Kalagasidis directed the offense with 35 assists.

As a team, Westcliff hit .409, limiting errors and maintaining control throughout the match.

And when it came time to finish, it was fitting who delivered the final point.

Pizza's kill closed out the match — a moment that, whether the season continues or not, reflected the identity of a team that has now authored the winningest season in program history.

The victory keeps Westcliff's hopes alive, but the next step is out of its hands.

The Warriors will await the result of OUAZ and Park, with their postseason future hanging in the balance.

For a group that has spent the year proving it belongs on this stage, one thing is certain:

They've done their part.