Volleyball Flies Past Blue Jays, 3-0; Will Face Juniata in NCAA Mid-Atlantic Regional Championship
Senior Laura Nuyen (above right) had match-highs
of 15 kills and 23 digs in Haverford's win Friday night.
(Photo by JaeHee Cho '07)
11/9/07 - Haverford defeats Elizabethtown, 3-0, in closely contested NCAA semifinal regional tournament match.
HAVERFORD, PA - Second-seeded Haverford defefated third-seeded Elizabethtown, 3-0, in an NCAA Mid-Atlantic Region semifinal match Friday evening at Gooding Arena. The Fords' set a new program record for wins in a season, improving their record to 31-2 on the year. Haverford will face top-seeded Juniata Saturday evening in the Mid-Atlantic Regional championship Saturday evening at 7 p.m. Elizabethtown ends its season with a 32-7 overall record.
Haverford was on the brink of losing game one, going up against game-point three times (28-29, 29-30, 30-31). An Elizabethtown service error knotted the game at 31, and senior outside hitter Dana Mullenhard put the Fords' up for good with a kill to make the score 32-31. A Blue Jays attack error handed the Fords the 33-31 game one win.
Haverford found itself down 28-27 at the tail end of game two. Head coach Amy Bergin called a timeout and the Fords' were able to score their next two points on Elizabethtown attack errors. The Blue Jays were able to knot game two at 29-29, but a kill by sophomore outside hitter Rebecca Salvo and another Blue Jays attack error secured a 31-29 game two victory for Haverford.
Haverford jumped out to a 7-2 lead and never trailed in game three, despite Elizabethtown coming within one point or tying he Fords' nine times in the game. Down 28-25, Elizabethtown closed out game three by committing two more attack errors.
Senior outside hitter Laura Nuyen pounded down a match-high 15 kills and had a match-high of 23 digs in the win for Haverford. Sophomores Rebecca and Rachel Salvo registered 13 and ten kills, respectively. Senior setter Emily Hinchcliff tied a program record in a three game match that she set earlier in the season with 49 assists. Freshman Kelsey Cantwell had 16 digs and a match-high four service aces, while Mullenhard ended up with nine kills. Senior middle hitter K'Lynn Solt added eight kills for the Fords'.
The Blue Jays were led by Paige Tanner's 14 kills and 20 digs. Stacey Wasserman had 37 assists while Kelly Downs had 12 kills.
Elizabethtown hit .144 in the match as a team, while Haverford hit .191.
Haverford and Juniata will meet for the second time this season in the regional championship. The Eagles won last year's D-III National Championship while the Fords' will make their first-ever Regional Championship appearance in program history. The Eagles topped the Fords earlier this season, 3-0 (30-19, 30-17, 30-23) on October 17, at Juniata.
Haverford was on the brink of losing game one, going up against game-point three times (28-29, 29-30, 30-31). An Elizabethtown service error knotted the game at 31, and senior outside hitter Dana Mullenhard put the Fords' up for good with a kill to make the score 32-31. A Blue Jays attack error handed the Fords the 33-31 game one win.
Haverford found itself down 28-27 at the tail end of game two. Head coach Amy Bergin called a timeout and the Fords' were able to score their next two points on Elizabethtown attack errors. The Blue Jays were able to knot game two at 29-29, but a kill by sophomore outside hitter Rebecca Salvo and another Blue Jays attack error secured a 31-29 game two victory for Haverford.
Haverford jumped out to a 7-2 lead and never trailed in game three, despite Elizabethtown coming within one point or tying he Fords' nine times in the game. Down 28-25, Elizabethtown closed out game three by committing two more attack errors.
Senior outside hitter Laura Nuyen pounded down a match-high 15 kills and had a match-high of 23 digs in the win for Haverford. Sophomores Rebecca and Rachel Salvo registered 13 and ten kills, respectively. Senior setter Emily Hinchcliff tied a program record in a three game match that she set earlier in the season with 49 assists. Freshman Kelsey Cantwell had 16 digs and a match-high four service aces, while Mullenhard ended up with nine kills. Senior middle hitter K'Lynn Solt added eight kills for the Fords'.
The Blue Jays were led by Paige Tanner's 14 kills and 20 digs. Stacey Wasserman had 37 assists while Kelly Downs had 12 kills.
Elizabethtown hit .144 in the match as a team, while Haverford hit .191.
Haverford and Juniata will meet for the second time this season in the regional championship. The Eagles won last year's D-III National Championship while the Fords' will make their first-ever Regional Championship appearance in program history. The Eagles topped the Fords earlier this season, 3-0 (30-19, 30-17, 30-23) on October 17, at Juniata.