Undefeated Northwest to host Meridian in Region 23 quarterfinals

Northwest Mississippi Community College, unbeaten at 36-0, will host Meridian Community College in a Region 23 Tournament quarterfinal Wednesday at Howard Coliseum. Northwest is the tournament’s top seed, while Meridian finished the season 16-16 overall and 2-8 in conference play.

Meridian kept its season alive Monday with a 25-23, 30-28, 25-21 win over Northeast Mississippi Community College. Wednesday’s match will be the third meeting between the teams this season. Northwest won their conference match 25-15, 25-12, 25-18 and also beat Meridian 25-15, 25-17, 27-25 in a nonconference match Sept. 9.

Other quarterfinal matchups include No. 2 Pearl River (24-6) hosting No. 7 Southwest Mississippi (11-15), No. 3 Itawamba (16-11) hosting No. 6 Copiah-Lincoln (11-14) and No. 4 Jones (23-7) hosting No. 5 Mississippi Gulf Coast (17-9).

The semifinals are scheduled for Saturday, Oct. 31, with the highest remaining seed hosting both the semifinals and the Nov. 1 championship. Northwest would host those rounds if it wins Wednesday. The Region 23 champion will host the Alabama Community College Conference champion in a district championship Nov. 7. The winner earns an automatic bid to the NJCAA Division II National Championships, scheduled for Nov. 18-21 in Cedar Rapids, Iowa.

Source: Original Article