Entering the NJCAA DII National Tournament, the Heartland volleyball team knew it had a tough opening round opponent, as the Hawks faced-off with No. 7-seeded Kirkwood. The Eagles bettered the Hawks twice in the regular season, and picked up a third win over the No. 10-seeded Hawks with a 3-0 victory Wednesday at Alliant Energy Fieldhouse in Cedar Rapids, Iowa.
 
In the opening set, which featured nine ties and five lead changes, Heartland kept the frame close before the Eagles eventually pulled away at the end. After two kills by Mairen Mannon made it 15-14 in favor of the Hawks, Kirkwood tallied five straight points to take a 19-15 lead. A kill by Cece Carr and a service error by the Eagles pulled the Hawks closer at 20-17, but the Eagles scored five of the final six points of the set to take the set 25-18.
 
The Eagles carried the momentum into the second set, as they gathered leads of 5-1 and 13-7 to open the frame. Heartland would pull to within four at 14-10 midway through the set, but that was the closest the Hawks would get as Kirkwood extended its advantage to 2-0 with another 25-18 victory. Holly McDonald finished the set with four kills for the Hawks.
 
After the Eagles built a 10-3 lead early in the final set, the Hawks came storming back by taking seven of the next eight points behind kills by Mannon, Carr, McDonald and Emma Harper to pull to within one point at 11-10. The Hawks would keep things close before the Eagles scored the final three points of the set to sweep the match with a 25-17 set three victory.
 
Harper and McDonald each finished with seven kills for the Hawks, with McDonald also tallying three blocks. Gracie Sanderson and Olivia Pippin had 13 assists apiece. Kennedy Conrad, the NJCAA DII leader in digs, contributed 21 digs.
 
The Hawks will now move to the consolation bracket, and will play at 3:30 PM on Thursday, with their opponent still yet to be determined.