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Sears Ends Year on National Elite-8 All-Tournament Team

Senior outside hitter, Jessica Sears (Colchester) traveled to Miami Shores, Florida to play in the NCAA Division II Elite 8 Tournament and led her team in national competition over the weekend.

In their first match, the #2 ranked Bulldogs defeated Queens College (NY) by scores of 30-16, 30-26 and 33-31. Sears had 15 kills and 16 digs.

The victory sent Truman to the semi-finals where it brought the top ranked teams in the country together. They faced the #1 ranked and undefeated team, University of Nebraska-Kearney Lopers (40-0).

The Bulldogs were "awesome" and played their finest match of the year and stunned the Lopers by scores of 30-22, 30-22 and 30-28.

Sears collected 14 kills and 12 digs, and the win advanced Truman to the National Championship match versus the host school, the #3 ranked Barry Buccaneers. Barry entered the match with a record of 33-1.

With the dream of a national championship and undefeated season alive, Truman won the first game by a score of 30-25. However, Trumans dream season came to an end in disappointing fashion as the Bulldogs fell in the final matches. Barry won the next three games by scores of 30-21, 30-25 and 30-24.

Sears, playing her final collegiate match, led the Bulldogs with 22 kills and 10 digs and a .378 hitting percentage. For her efforts Sears was selected to the National Elite 8 All-Tournament Team. The Bulldogs ended their season with a record of 37-1.

During Jessica's four years, the Bulldogs became one of the nation's elite teams. They won three MIAA conference championships, two MIAA conference tournament championships, advanced to the Division II Elite 8 three times and finished as the National runners-up twice.

Truman's record during the last four years is an amazing 133-17.

Jessica is the daughter of Denny and Cindy Humes of Colchester, and granddaughter of Clinton and Eleanor Sears of La Harpe.