The Alfred State College women’s volleyball team clinched an automatic bid to the NCAA tournament for the first time in not only program history, but Alfred State athletics history. The Pioneers will take on the Ithaca College Bombers at Juniata College in Pennsylvania. The Pioneers are riding a 16-game win-streak, the longest in the program’s NCAA history.
The 25 ranked Bombers boast a 24-4 record and are coming off a Liberty League title, defeating Clarkson in a five-set thriller. Ithaca, like the Pioneers, went undefeated in their conference schedule going a perfect 8-0.
All season the Pioneers have had output from their front line, as Keturah Gregory has just been named to the AMCC All-Conference First Team. Gregory tallied 279 kills and had a conference-high .368 hitting percentage. Karleigh Haines and Nayomie Ferrer Santiago were also key in the Pioneer’s success. Haines tallied 240 kills and 207 digs and was named to the All-Conference Second Team. Ferrer Santiago had 630 assists and 244 digs on the year, good enough to have a spot on the All-Conference Third Team.
The match between the Pioneers and the Bombers is set for Thursday, November 10, at 3 p.m.
The Penn State Behrend women's volleyball team will travel to New Jersey City University to take on Grove City College in the quarterfinals of the 2022 Eastern Collegiate Athletic Conference (ECAC) Championships on Saturday at 2 p.m.
The Lions are making their eighth appearance in the ECAC Championship Tournament after falling to Alfred State 3-0 in the AMCC Championship game last weekend. Behrend enters with 14-13 overall record and 3-2 when playing at a neutral site. The Lions were edged by the Grove City Wolverines earlier in the season, 3-2, back on Sept. 10. Hannah Phillips and Brooke Joncas reached 500 kills for their careers against the Pioneers on Sunday. Phillips led with a match-high 19 kills and Joncas added 16 kills.
The Wolverines dropped a five-set decision to Bethany in the Presidents' Athletic Conference (PAC) semifinals on Thursday. Grove City is 18-10 on the season and 4-5 when playing at a neutral site. The Wolverines have six players with 100 kills or more, led by Faith Keating with 249. Keating was the ECAC South Offensive Player of the Month, while Anna DeGraaf was named ECAC Defensive Player of the Month.
Behrend and Grove City are competing for the 24th time in program history, as the Wolverines hold a 14-9 advantage over the Lions. Behrend posted a 3-1 win in 2021, while Grove City managed a 3-2 win this season.