CHESTNUT HILL, Mass. -- Think about the difference in two points in a volleyball match. Every point swings on the slimmest margin of error, and that edge and periphery shrinks every time the ball crosses the net. A razor thin line separates service errors from aces and digs from points, and even the best timed jump isn't guaranteed to block the most perfect run from an outside hitter. Spiked kills are tailored for highlight reels, but they are inches and millimeters away from being returned by defenders at the net.
The extreme boundaries exist because the sport is built on a blend of aggressive ferociousness and precision accuracy, and they are the reason why either Drake or Boston College will walk away from Wednesday night as the National Invitational Volleyball Championship champion after the two teams meet in a final game between a team that likely belonged in the national tournament and its upstart opponent.