Women's Volleyball

Gannon's season ends after five-set thriller against Angelo State in NCAA Division II Women's Volleyball Championship quarterfinals

NCAA QUARTERFINALS RECAP

Angelo State defeats Gannon, 3-2

No. 6 seed Gannon battled No. 3 seed Angelo State extremely tough, but eventually fell 3-2 in the 2024 NCAA Women's Volleyball Championship quarterfinals. Angelo State took the first set, 28-26, but Gannon battled back to win sets two and three (25-15 and 25-17). Angelo State then took the next two: 25-19 in set four and 15-6 in set five. Journey Blevins led the Golden Knights with 19 kills, while Nehir Yazicioglu (13) and Ali Sorenson (11) were also in double-digits. Sorenson was part of the always-impressive defensive effort at the net, with one solo block and nine block assists. Hailey Koch tallied seven block assists while Blevins and Lauren Atwell both pitched in with five block assists apiece. Bengisu Arslan tallied 49 assists and Emma Hall led the squad in digs with 34. The Golden Knights end the 2024 season with a 26-8 overall record, a PSAC Championship, and an Atlantic Region Championship.
 

ATLANTIC REGION CHAMPIONSHIP GAME RECAP

Gannon defeats Wheeling, 3-1

Despite losing the first game of the match to Wheeling, 25-20, Gannon roared back in the next three games and went on to win the Atlantic Region Championship Game, 3-1. The Golden Knights' advantage could be seen on the defensive end, holding an advantage in blocks, 16-10.  Journey Blevins once again led Gannon in kills with 21 (.297 hitting percentage) and chipped in with 14 digs and five total blocks, while Hailey Koch (13 kills, six total blocks) and Ali Sorenson (10 kills, 11 block assists) were also key contributors. Setter Bengisu Arslan also dished out 53 assists in the winning effort, which will send Gannon back to the NCAA quarterfinals for the first time since 2022. Since 2017, Gannon has now won five Division II Atlantic Region titles.
 

SECOND ROUND RECAPS

Gannon defeats West Virginia State, 3-0

Gannon swept past the MEC champions West Virginia State on Friday night, 3-0, to advance to the Atlantic Region Championship Game for the first time since 2022. Hailey Koch and Journey Blevins once again were the focus of the offense for the Golden Knights, with Koch's 11 kills and Blevins' 13 leading the way. Both of those players also contributed five block assists, and, combined with Ali Sorenson's nine block assists, put up an incredible wall at the net. Gannon will play Wheeling in the Atlantic Region title game -- the last time the two teams met was in 2021, where Gannon picked up the victory and eventually advanced to the Final Four. Saturday's match is scheduled for 7 p.m.

Wheeling defeats IUP, 3-2

IUP took a 2-0 lead in Friday's semifinal match but Wheeling pulled off a reverse sweep to win, 3-2, and end the Crimson Hawks' season. Delaney Concannon led the way for IUP with a team-high 22 kills, while three others were in double-digits: Lauren Valentic (14), Jessica Neima (11), and Nyla Birch (10). IUP totaled 28 blocks in the game, with Rylee Brown (two solos, five block assists) and Valentic (two solos, six block assists) contributing on the defensive end. IUP ends the season with a 24-9 overall record and the 2024 PSAC Championship.

 

FIRST ROUND RECAPS

West Virginia State defeats Clarion, 3-2

Clarion came back from two sets down to force a decisive fifth set versus West Virginia State but could not complete the comeback, losing 16-14, and was eliminated from the Atlantic Regional. Cassidy Snider smashed 37 kills at a .388 hitting percentage to lead the Golden Eagles, while Savannah Taosoga added eight kills.  Haley Fledderjohann's 29 digs and Olivia Ishmael's five block assists led the way defensively as Clarion's season concludes with an overall record of 15-12.

Gannon defeats Shaw, 3-1

Top-seeded Gannon University dispatched Shaw, 3-1, to move on to Friday's semifinals behind a game-high 20 kills from Journey Blevins and another 14 from Hailey Koch. Blevins (19 digs) and Emma Hall (17 digs) along with Lauren Atwell's five block assists contributed defensively for the win. 

IUP defeats Shepherd, 3-0

IUP advanced to Friday's semifinals after a 3-0 sweep of Shepherd and will face Wheeling University. The Crimson Hawks got excellent efforts from Delaney Concannon (10 kills), Lauren Valentic (seven kills, five block assists) and Olivia Heidel (four block assists, 22 assists). Shepherd was led by Joi Fairweather (six kills, six block assists) and Sophia Ryan (six kills, five block assists) as the Rams end the season with an overall record of 24-6.

Wheeling defeats Pitt-Johnstown, 3-1

The Pitt-Johnstown Mountain Cats' season came to a close in the first round of the 2024 Atlantic Regional with a 3-1 loss to Wheeling University. UPJ fought back in the third set after going down 2-0, winning it 25-21 to extend the match, but Wheeling won the fourth set to advance in the bracket. Ellie Zuro led UPH in kills with 16 (.389 hitting percentage) while Lualis Alvarado (13 kills) and Mallory Pinske (11) were also in double digits. Adiamar Beaz tallied 49 assists and 12 digs, as UPJ ends the season with an overall record of 19-10.

 

INDIANAPOLIS – Five Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference women’s volleyball programs were selected to compete in the 2024 NCAA Division II Women’s Volleyball Championship, the NCAA announced Monday evening: 2024 PSAC champion IUP, Gannon, Clarion, Shepherd, and Pitt-Johnstown.
 
The 2024 NCAA Division II Women’s Volleyball Championship features 64 teams and begins on Thursday, Dec. 5.
 
The No. 1 seed in the Atlantic Region for the third consecutive year is Gannon University. The Golden Knights (23-7 overall record), coming off a runner-up finish in the 2024 PSAC Championship, match up with No. 8 seed Shaw (29-4 overall) in the first round.
 
The 2024 PSAC Champion, IUP, claims the No. 2 seed and carries an overall record of 23-8. The Crimson Hawks will play No. 7 seed Shepherd (24-5) in a rematch of a 2024 PSAC tournament semifinal—a dramatic five-set affair that saw IUP advance.

The No. 4-seeded Clarion Golden Eagles (15-11 overall) draw No. 5 seed and MEC champion West Virginia St. (23-9). The selection marks the 17th overall trip to the NCAA Championship for Clarion and the Golden Eagles are the defending Atlantic Region champions from a year ago.
 
Another PSAC Western Division team, Pitt-Johnstown (19-9), makes its second consecutive appearance in the field and is the No. 6 seed, drawing No. 3 seed Wheeling (25-10) in the first round.
 
All games will be streamed live on the PSAC Sports Digital Network.
 
Complete bracket information can be found here.