SEGUIN, TEXAS - Top-seeded and second ranked Trinity University won the program's 20th SCAC championship with a 3-1 win over third-seeded Southwestern University in the SCAC Volleyball Tournament championship match on Sunday afternoon at Calgaard Gymnasium. Official Championships Website | Photo Album | Trinity University Post-Match Interview | Southwestern University Post-Match Interview
HOW IT HAPPENED
- Trinity dominated in the first set and cruised to a 25-11 win. The Tigers limited the Pirates to hitting just .079 for the match, including a -.056 clip in the opening stanza.
- The Tigers raced out to a quick 6-1 lead in the beginning of set two and then pushed the lead to 20-9 thanks to a service ace from Nadia Kern. A few plays later Trinity earned the 25-15 victory to take a 2-0 match lead.
- Southwestern took an early 10-6 lead in the third set on a kill from Andie Valenzuela. Trinity was able to pull to within 19-16 on a service error but the Pirates were able to withstand the Tigers' comeback attempt and took the set with a 25-20 win.
- The teams traded the first 14 points of the fourth set as they found themselves tied at 7-7 early on. Trinity went on an 8-3 run to take a 15-10 lead before Southwestern was able to tie the set at 15-15. Both the Tigers and Pirates then were tied three more times at 16-16, 17-17, and 19-19. From there, Trinity was able to secure the title on Sarah Williammee's title clinching kill to earn a 25-23 win. Williammee, who hit .462 in the match, was named the MVP of the 2021 tournament.
TRINITY UNIVERSITY STATISTICAL STANDOUTS
- Sarah Williammee: 12 kills, .462 hitting percentage, 1 dig, 1 block assist
- Emma Funk: 9 kills, .500 hitting percentage, 2 block assists
- Avery Tuggle: 9 kills, 20 digs, 4 block assists
- Annie Rose Leggett: 7 kills, 16 digs
- Emily Ellis: 7 kills, 1 dig, 1 block solo, 5 block assists, 6 total blocks
- Lexie Acevedo: 21 assists, 5 digs
- Nadia Kern: 14 digs
- Marisa Amarino: 26 assists, 8 digs
SOUTHWESTERN UNIVERSITY STATISTICAL STANDOUTS
- Emma White: 11 kills, 11 digs
- Lauren Crabtree: 12 kills
- Christina Kuras: 8 kills, 7 digs
- Claire Romo: 15 assists, 6 digs
- Geneva Nedrow: 7 digs, 4 service aces
- Ali Grona: 22 digs, 3 assists
- Katelyn Whitehead: 21 assists, 11 digs
NOTABLES
- The SCAC All-Tournament Team was announced following Sunday's championship match:
- Sarah Williammee, Sr., RS, Trinity (MVP)
- Avery Tuggle, Sr., OH, Trinity
- Marisa Amarino, Jr., S, Trinity
- Emma White, Jr., OH, Southwestern
- Andie Valenzuela, So., MB, Southwestern
- Isabella Vasquez, Sr., OH, Colorado College
- Tanyse Moehrig-Woodard, So., OH, Texas Lutheran - Trinity added to its SCAC record with its 20th league volleyball championship.
- Sunday's championship marked the 16th time that Trinity and Southwestern have met in SCAC Tournament history.
- The Tigers improved to 11-5 against the Pirates in SCAC postseason play.
- Sunday's championship match was the ninth time the two programs have played each other in the SCAC title match, including four straight times from
2013-2016. - Trinity now holds a 6-3 edge in the series when meeting for the league crown.
UP NEXT
Trinity, the second-ranked team in the most recent AVCA rankings, improves to 31-2 and earns the SCAC automatic qualifier to the 2021 NCAA Division III Women's Volleyball Championship. Southwestern (No. 16 in the AVCA rankings), who falls to 24-5 on the season, will await word of a possible at-large bid to the NCAA playoffs.
