In the quarterfinals of the NCAA Division III Men's Volleyball Championship, Southern Virginia University (18-4) went up against top-ranked Vassar (26-1) for a spot in the Final Four next weekend in Owings Mills, Maryland.

Similar to the first-round contest, the Knight's first kill came from McKay Walker for the match's first point. The Brewers also went to their middle, Tristan Christofferson, to get on the board and tie the game at one. The hosts didn't stop there, garnering four straight and seven of the next eight to jump out to an early 7-2 lead, forcing Head Coach Tom Peterson to call a timeout.

Southern Virginia collected the set's next three points to cut the deficit to two and regain some momentum in the noisy Kenyon Hall. After splitting the next four points, a monster kill from North Region Player of the Year Andrew Kim restored the three-point advantage. Kyler Evans, however, would tally a kill of his own to get it back to two.

The teams again halved the next ten scores before a block by Evans and Walker cut the deficit to one. Vassar would rely on its two-time All-American Andrew Kim for the next two points after a kill and a solo block. Southern Virginia would come right back with a block of its own, with Evans and Walker again combining for a stuff.

A service ace by Jeremy Brown would cut the Brewer lead to one, 19-17, but a kill from Billy Fan restored the two-point advantage. An impressive swing by Christian Sheaffer would again get it back to a one-point game, but three straight tallies by the Brewers would force the second timeout of the set from Coach Peterson with a score of 22-18.

Following the break, a kill from the back row by Jayton Hall commenced a 2-0 run that ended on a Tyler Sheaffer service error. Vassar used the error to propel them to a first-set victory after gathering the next two points, ending with a service ace by Fan.

Set two began with two straight points by the Knights before a service error got the Brewers on the board. The back and forth would continue over the next few points before a 4-0 Knight run made the score 7-4 and forced Brewer Head Coach Richard Gary to call his first timeout of the match.

Vassar would collect three of the next four points, but Southern Virginia would do the same to hold onto the three-point advantage. The advantage would be ballooned to four following kills from Christian Sheaffer and then Evans.

Two straight Vassar blocks would increase the volume inside the packed Kenyon Hall. The following point would result in a Southern Virginia attacking error that knotted the game at 15. After a Christian Sheaffer kill, the longest rally in the match resulted in a solo block by Walker, giving Southern Virginia a two-point advantage. The senior would follow it up with another solo block to force a Vassar timeout with a score of 19-16.

Following the break, the Knights would record back-to-back impressive digs by Bianchin and Christian Sheaffer, leading to a kill by Brown to reach 20 points and go back up four. After giving up a point on a Christofferson swing, Brown would tally his second straight kill to go up four again. The teams then split the next four tallies before a slam by Tyler Sheaffer—his first and only kill of the evening—propelled the Knights to a set win after a Bianchin and Christian Sheaffer block registered the final tally.

Four players had three kills for the Knights in set two (Brown, Evans, C. Sheaffer, and Walker), which saw them double their opponents in kills (16-8). Along with holding the Brewers to just eight kills, the hosts registered just a .027 hitting percentage compared to .263 for the Knights.

With both squads on the board, the intensity ratcheted up a few notches in the third set, with both looking to book a spot in the Final Four. After splitting the opening four tallies, Vassar notched three straight to create a small advantage. Southern Virginia, however, would not back down, going on a 4-0 run to earn its first lead of the set.

After tying the game at six, the Brewers would add three more points to liven up the home crowd again and force a Knight timeout. A powerful swing by Brown would end the run, but a service error on the next point would give the serve back to the Brewers, who converted on the next four points with the Knights failing to side out, demanding another timeout after going down seven.

A Vassar service error ended the streak, but back-to-back Fan kills increased the lead to eight. A Jayton Hall kill would spark a 3-0 run that included an ace from Brown that forced a timeout from the hosts after giving up five of six points. Three straight Andrew Kim kills would restore the seven-point advantage.

A huge swing from Christian Sheaffer was followed by a three-way block to cut the deficit to five, 21-16. The Brewers, however, would get another block—the sixth of the set—to put the game out of reach, and they would go up 2-1 in the match after a service error saw them reach 25.

The hosts bounced back after poor hitting in set two, registering a .214 hitting percentage while holding the Knights to .028.

After a Tyler Sheaffer service error opened the fourth set, kills by Christian Sheaffer and then Jeremy Brown were followed up by a Christian Sheaffer ace to go up 3-1. Back-to-back Adam Gulick kills squared the game at three. The run would continue, with Vassar scoring two straight and three of the next four before a beautiful roll shot by Evans trimmed the deficit to one.

The Brewers would keep their foot on the gas, scoring seven of the next ten points to go up five. After halving the next six tallies, consecutive kills from Brown and Hall trimmed the lead to three.

Vassar could sense the victory after three of the next four tallies saw them reach 20 and go up five points. Following an Evans kill, the hosts rattled off four straight points to reach set point. A Bianchin kill was a mere consolation as A. Kim booked a trip to Maryland with a match-clinching swing.

Kim led all players with 20 kills (with eight coming in the final set) while hitting .381, while Brown and Christian Sheaffer each registered 13 kills—the most for the Knights. Tyler Sheaffer again impressed, winning the battle of the setters, out-assisting Jacob Kim 46 to 35.

Captain Justin Madsen, who tied for the most digs in the game with 11, was "proud of his brothers for playing so scrappy against a really talented team."

"I thought we fought hard," added Coach Peterson. He was also quick to praise Vassar, saying, "I have to give kudos to a classy and talented team. We wish them well the rest of the way and will cheer for them the rest of the way."

When asked about how this team was different than others he has been a part of, senior McKay Walker said, "Everyone was willing to put in the work, and we all held each other accountable. We support each other on and off the court, which has led to a unique connection."

"This was an unbelievable season because we really are a family," concluded Coach Peterson.

STORY COURTESY OF SOUTHERN VIRGINIA UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION