Fee, Edwards shine as seniors

The moment has arrived.

Since the moment the final point was scored in Black Hills State's 18-16 fifth-set victory over Jamestown College in last season's Dakota Athletic Conference tournament championship game, the Jimmies have been waiting for another shot at the national tournament.

"I think we've been waiting since that moment for another shot," Jimmie senior outside hitter Ali Edwards said. "We've been working all year for this."

The Jimmies host the Yellow Jackets on Saturday night at the Hansen Center as the two teams meet again with a trip to the NAIA national tournament on the line.

"It affected us quite a bit at the end of the year," Jimmie senior setter Kayla Fee said. "You always hope for the best and when it didn't happen, it gave us more fuel to work even harder."

Especially for the Jimmies' two seniors, who will be looking to end their collegiate careers on a high note.

"There's no better way to end our four years here than the way our conference season has gone," Edwards said. "Hopefully we can continue that."

The Jimmies, who shared the conference regular-season title with the Yellow Jackets last season, ran the table and went 14-0 in DAC play during the regular season to earn their second consecutive conference title. The next step? To make a trip to nationals.

Edwards, also a standout on the basketball team, got to experience a trip to the national tournament last winter. She'd like to repeat that with the volleyball team.

"It was a really fun experience," Edwards said. "I'm hoping to do it again. Hopefully this is going to be even better."

"It's been a great season so far," Fee said. "I don't want it to end."

Edwards and Fee have been a big reason the Jimmies are back in the title game. Both were first-team all-DAC selections last season, and both have had strong senior seasons.

"They've done a tremendous job on the court being leaders," Jimmies coach Jon Hegerle said.

Edwards, a West Fargo native, is among the league leaders in hitting (.221), kills (3.55 per game, second in the DAC), aces (0.31 per game) and digs (3.27 per game).

"Ali has done a lot of things you can't put down on paper, things that stats don't show," Hegerle said. "To go over 1,000 kills this year and to go over 1,000 digs last year, those are all team contributions."

Fee has been named the DAC's server of the week six times, including the past four weeks. She leads the DAC in assists (10.35 per game) and is seventh in aces (0.32 per game) and averages 2.36 digs per game (20th in the league).

"Kayla is a tremendous setter, but it's the things she brings with the setting," Hegerle said. "Serving, defending, being an attacker at the net on offense ... she's a multifaceted setter and that's what gives teams so much trouble."

The Jimmies (23-7) have won 17 straight matches, 16 consecutive against DAC foes and have 15 sweeps in 16 DAC matches, winning 51 of 52 sets. They are 10-0 at home and have not dropped a set in the friendly confines of the Hansen Center.

But to keep those streaks going, the Jimmies will have to find a way to beat a veteran Yellow Jackets (23-11) squad for a third straight time.

"They're a senior-laden team," Hegerle said. "No. 1, they have a tremendous amount of experience. No. 2, they have been here before and have succeeded. And No. 3, they have a lot of seniors so you know they are going to have a lot of focus and drive.

"It's going to be a battle. I wouldn't expect anything less."

"We just have to come out and compete hard, serve tough and defend our court," Edwards said. "If that happens, the rest of our game will fall into place."

"We just have to have the team working together, passing and serving well," Fee said. "Giving it everything we have."

The Jimmies are hoping to get a lift again from their home crowd.

"It's going to be loud and energetic in here," Edwards said. "We just have to harness that energy into our play."

"It's a fun environment to play in," Fee said. "There were people in the back last year who couldn't see the court and they were still cheering for us."

Sun sports editor Scott Throlson can be reached at (701) 952-8462 or by e-mail at throlson@jamestownsun.com