From Emory University Athletics
The No. 5-ranked Emory volleyball team captured the NCAA St.
Louis Regional of the NCAA Division III Tournament Sunday evening,
battling to a thrilling five-set victory over host and No. 7-ranked
Washington University in the championship match. The Eagles
boosted their winning streak to 11 matches and raised their overall
record to 37-3 following a 3-2 outcome (25-23, 19-25, 25-18, 25-27,
15-12) over the Bears who closed out their campaign with a won-lost
ledger of 35-6. Emory advances to the quarterfinals of the
NCAA Championships where it will face Williams College on Friday in
Newport News, Virginia.
In a back-and-forth slugfest between familiar foes, Emory finished
with a .265 (65-17-181) attack percentage compared to the Bears'
.213 (56-20—169), the 38th time during the
year that it enjoyed an edge in that category. The team's 65
terminations tied its third-highest total of the year. Wash U
did conclude the contest with the better numbers in both digs
(88-81) and total blocks (8-5).
The senior tandem of Leah Jacobs and Cat McGrath,
along with sophomore Sarah Maher, shouldered the bulk of the
Eagles' offensive attack with the trio combining for 49
kills. Jacobs led the group with 19 terminations, her
25th outing of the year with double digits in that
category. Maher came through with 16 successful attack
attempts, tying her second-highest career output, and registered a
.317 hitting mark (16-3—41). Maher also
contributed a personal best of 12 digs. McGrath was the
Eagles' most efficient hitter, compiling a mark of .429 on the
strength of a season-high 14 kills with two errors in 28 swings. It
was her seventh performance of the season in 19 matches with
double-digit terminations. Junior setter Sydney
Miles doled out 52 assists while senior libero Kate
Bowman once again led the team with 23 digs, her
12th contest of the year with 20 or more, and in
the process moved into the No. 2 spot on the Eagles' seasonal chart
with 649 digs.
Jacobs, McGrath and Maher all earned St. Louis Regional
All-Tournament Team honors with Maher bringing home the MVP
award.
Emory will play Williams College on Friday (Nov. 21) in the
quarterfinals with that match slated for a 3:00 pm start. The
Ephs, 28-4, landed their first Elite Eight bid since 2008 after
defeating Bowdoin, 3-0, in the championship match of the
Williamstown, Mass., Regional on Sunday.
St. Louis Regional All-Tournament Team
Jenna Fessler – Thomas More
Sara Dyslin – Hendrix
Caroline Dupont – WashU
Allison Zastrow – WashU
Leah Jacobs – Emory
Cat McGrath – Emory
Sarah Maher – Emory *MVP*