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(Lock
Haven, Pa.) - The
Lock Haven University of Pennsylvania volleyball team (28-12) will travel to
the Grand Valley State University Fieldhouse Arena in Allendale, Mich., for the
NCAA Division II Elite Eight Volleyball Championships on November 29-December
1. The Lady Eagles earned the trip
to the final rounds of the national tournament by capturing the Atlantic Region
championship with a 3-1 win over Indiana (Pa.) University in the regional
finals this past weekend. Lock
Haven will face Pacific Region champion UC San Diego (24-6) on Thursday,
November 29.
The Road To The
Elite Eight…
Lock Haven’s trek to the Elite Eight began three months ago in the
last week of August at the UC San Diego Invitational, where the Lady Eagles got
to see first-hand the West Coast style of game.
LHU lost three-out-of-four matches with all losses coming against top-25
ranked teams including their Elite Eight opponent UC San Diego.
In their next two weekends of competition, the Lady Eagles traveled to
Northwood University for the Fairfield Inn Classic and to Mercyhurst College
for the Lady Laker Volleyball Invite, where their overall record rebounded to
6-5 after going 5-2 over the stretch.
Over the course of the regular season, the Lady Eagles battled to a 25-11
overall mark including the PSAC West regular season title with an 8-2 mark in
divisional play. The top seed in
the Western Division, the Lady Eagles made their seventh consecutive conference
playoff appearance, advancing to the title match against perennial foe Edinboro
University. The two-time defending
PSAC champions, LHU had defeated the Fighting Scots twice before during the
regular season. Lock Haven won
games one and two of the conference championship match, but Edinboro fought
back, rallying to take the next three for the victory.
Despite the loss in the conference championships, Lock Haven retained the
Atlantic Region’s top-billing, and reserved the right to host the Atlantic
Region Championships for the third-straight season.
Making their sixth-consecutive appearance in the regional playoffs, Lock
Haven received a bye in the first round then faced off against California (Pa.)
University in the semifinal round. In
a rematch of last season’s regional finals in which California defeated Lock
Haven, the win belonged to the Lady Eagles this time around as they bounced
back from a one-game deficit to take the next three to advance to the
championship against another familiar opponent, Indiana (Pa.) University.
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(top) 11th-year head coach Tom Justice and assistant Gen
Kawakita lead LHU to its third Elite Eight appearance... (bottom) Lady
Eagles celebrate after capturing Atlantic Region title.
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The Atlantic
Regional Championship Match…
As PSAC Western Division opponents, Lock Haven and Indiana (Pa.)
University had squared off twice already during the regular season, splitting
the pair of matches. The Lady Eagles had fallen in three games to IUP on the
road, but had defeated the Indians in five at home.
Indiana
entered the regional championship match on a tear after having defeated
Lees-McRae College and upsetting Edinboro University en route to the finals.
Indiana’s momentum from winning two straight in the early rounds of
the regional tournament carried over as the Indians took a 30-26 victory from
the Lady Eagles in game one. Indiana climbed ahead in the second game as well,
but LHU rallied for the 31-29 win to tie up the match at one game apiece.
From there Lock Haven battled on to capture wins in the next two games,
30-27, 30-27, for the team’s third regional crown in its 11-year history.
LHU’s Shana Fessette and Lauren Nuzum were both selected to the
Atlantic Region All-Tournament team for their performances throughout the
two-day affair. Fessette averaged 14.75 assists and 4.63 digs per game, while
Nuzum hit .384 with 37 kills (4.63 per game) and 40 digs (5.00 per game).
Lock Haven in
the NCAA Division II Elite Eight…
This year’s win marks the third trip to the Elite Eight for The Haven, also
earning a spot in 1999 and 1997. In
their first trip, the Lady Eagles were matched up against South Region champion
Barry University (Fla.), falling in three games, 15-6, 15-11, 15-5.
In 1999, LHU was paired with West Texas A & M of the Southwest
Region, dropping that match, 3-1.
Lock Haven
University…
The Lady Eagles of Lock Haven University make their third appearance in the
NCAA quarterfinals, advancing every other year since their inaugural trip in
1997. With their third Atlantic
Region championship in hand, Lock Haven now owns a 28-12 overall mark.
Under the direction of 11th year mentor Tom Justice,
the Lock Haven program has accumulated an overall record of 236-156 and has had
seven straight seasons with 25-or-more wins.
Leading
the LHU offensive attack is a pair of senior outside hitters in Kelli Crouch
(Lancaster/Conestoga Valley) and Lauren Nuzum (Manchester/Northeastern).
Crouch, an All-Region and First Team All-PSAC selection, is the Lady
Eagle leader in both kills (504/3.45 per game) and digs (486/3.33 per game).
Nuzum, an All-Regional Tournament Team selection as well as an
All-Atlantic Region pick, is second on the team in both categories, putting
down an average 3.38 kills per game for a total of 494 along with 424 digs
(2.86 per game).
Other
weapons in the Haven arsenal include All-Atlantic Region and four-time
all-conference setter Shana Fessette (Plattsburgh, N.Y./Beekmantown Central),
who distributes the ball for an average of 12.12 assists per game with 1,769
total this season. With her
totals from the regional tournament, Fessette now owns the Lady Eagles’
all-time assist record, now with 5,890 assists.
Sophomore
middles Kara Warnke (Aurora, Ohio/Walsh Jesuit), an All-PSAC and
All-Atlantic Region choice, and Beth Hackenberg (Maumee, Ohio/Springfield)
along with freshman All-Atlantic Region opposite hitter Amanda Snyder
(Portsmouth, Va./Churchland) have also been key components of the LHU
lineup. Warnke adds even more
strength at the net, posting 361 kills (2.89 per game) along with a team best
147 blocks (1.18 per game). Hackenberg
is LHU’s top server, recording 63 service aces, and is among Lady Eagle
leaders with 2.11 kills per game (308 kills) and 122 blocks (0.84 per game).
Snyder has made a big impact in her inaugural season, tallying 318 kills
(2.29 per game) along with 239 digs and 74 blocks.
UC San Diego Tritons…
The Tritons of UC San Diego (24-6), the Pacific Region’s second seed,
knocked off top seed and #5-ranked Cal State-San Bernardino in the regional
championship in five games (20-30, 30-26, 22-30, 31-29, 17-15) to advance to
their first NCAA Division II Elite Eight playoffs. Under the guidance of
sixth-year head coach Duncan McFarland, UC San Diego has earned a berth to the
NCAA tournament in both seasons as a Division II program.
The Tritons lost in the first round of regional play last season before
capturing the title this season. Prior
to making the move to Division II, the Tritons captured seven national titles
in Division III along with five runner-up appearances.
A trio of senior hitters pace the Triton attack, including middle
Kathleen Hentz and outside hitters Stacy Dunsmore and Laura Santerre.
Hentz leads UCSD with 258 kills (2.93 per game) and 67 blocks.
Dunsmore is second on the team in kills with 255 (2.71 per game) and is
also the team leader in digs with 240 (2.82 per game) and service aces (35).
Santerre chips in with 2.91 kills per game (247 kills).
Rookie setter Teresa Ohta was named the Pacific Region Freshman of the
Year and also earned All-Tournament honors after posting 54 assists, 11 digs,
and three kills in the title match. Ohta averages 11.07 assists per game (930
assists). Also receiving regional
all-tournament accolades was outside hitter Jennie Wilson, who tallied 21 kills
and 21 digs in the championship match. Wilson
adds 132 kills (1.74 per game) and 174 digs (2.29 per game) to the Triton
efforts. Outside hitter Ashley Peterson (187 kills) and middle Katie Hogan (155
kills, 57 blocks) are also key players in the UCSD lineup.
Earlier This Season…
Lock Haven and UC San Diego met head-to-head in the Lady Eagles’
second match of the season at the UC San Diego Invitational.
The Tritons took a 3-0 victory (30-17, 30-18, 30-26) behind a 16-kill,
nine-dig effort by Laura Santerre. Lock
Haven’s Kelli Crouch and Kara Warnke both tallied 12 kills in the loss.
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