Fredrickson, Faulkner help Eastfield win JUCO volleyball national title

Kerstin Fredrickson a native of Bluff Dale and 2016 graduate of Stephenville High School, and Faith Faulkner a 2016 Dublin grad, are shown standing together behind the white banner after helping Eastfield College in Mesquite win the NJCAA Division III volleyball championship Saturday in Rochester, Minnesota. || Facebook photo posted by Faith Faulkner

By BRAD KEITH
TheFlashToday.com

(November 13, 2017) — Two Erath County natives and 2016 graduates of Stephenville and Dublin high schools won a national championship in junior college volleyball Saturday.

Kerstin Fredrickson, a Bluff Dale native and past Stephenville Honeybee, and Faith Faulkner, of Dublin, signed their national letters of intent with Eastfield College in Mesquite just a day apart in May, 2016, with coach Brandon Crisp making the two-hour drive to be on scene as the three of them committed to work together to win a national championship.

They came close to winning two.

With their Crisp and the bulk of his roster returning after Eastfield placed third in the National Junior College Athletic Association Division III Volleyball Championship in 2016, they knew they had the opportunity to make the 2017 season especially memorable.

In Rochester, Minnesota this past weekend, Eastfield (27-7) completed its climb to the top of the Division III Juco mountain with a four-set victory over reigning national champ Harper (37-5) by the count of 25-21, 22-25, 25-21, 25-17.

Fresh off her third MAC after a double-double and other strong play in the regional tournament as well as contributions in both the quarterfinal and semifinal rounds in Rochester, Fredrickson aced three serves while landing six kills and digging five balls in the national championship.

Faulkner recorded five kills, five digs and a pair of block assists in the national final.

NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP VIDEO HIGHLIGHTS

Eastfield won nine of 10 sets at the National Championship tournament at the UCR Regional Sports Center, arriving at the championship match with a 25-21, 25-13, 25-18 semifinal rout of Central Lakes, and was especially dominant in the quarterfinals, thumping Jamestown 25-16, 25-12, 25-9.

Fredrickson killed six sets and aced a serve while Faulkner added three kills and a service ace against Jamestown, which entered the tournament 30-0.

Fredrickson put her all-around versatility on display in the semifinal when she did everything but set on her way to nine kills, four digs, two aces and a block assist. Faulkner had three kills and a block assist.